[ WP ] You 're playing around on the Deep Web stumble upon a list of old unused government IP blocks . A quick scan reveals 1 IP still in use and only telnet is open ...

`` Wait, Telnet?'' I asked Chimera as I looked at the open window. The whole situation stank My palms itched as I told my box to rerun everything just to be sure. It would take time since I wanted to go over the entire block again. 
 
 In the meantime I got up and looked over at Chimera, an overly large fluffy cat that sorta adopted me when I moved here. This is the thing those tv geeks never portray. Not the cute girl on the cop show, or the perky but somewhat heavyset girl on the other cop show, or that creepy guy in the'nerd' show staring the annoying spaztic guy. Most of the computer bits of hacking is waiting. I do n't blame them for not showing the boring waiting parts, since it makes for really poor TV on its own. It's the fact when words come out of their mouths I want to cringe that gets to me. 
 
 Half hour later I check my box again, then go back to my phone. Dad taught me the basics, gave me that spark. Told me old stories from when everything was command line. Pretty sure that's the only reason I actually got excited about Telnet and everything it promised. 
 
 Hour later my system beeped. Still that one active IP in a giant ghost town of unused addresses. Still the same ports. 
 
 Sod it. Check to see if it has a help system. 
 
 OK Good. New User. Create Login. Fine my system privileges are rubbish, but fine. Whatever I technically was n't doing anything illegal. The ports were open and the system itself gave me a login. Sure I had to do a bit of hunting to realize this box existed, but it was open and clear. 
 
 Not sure what I expected as I poked around. It could have been anything from some government drone's Nostalgia rocking hard with MUDs, BBSing, Door Games, or... any number of things really. Actually that's all it was, a BBS. An honest to God BBS. 
 
 Pity I could n't stay up. Too much to do in the morning. Maybe try again tomorrow. 
 
 -- -- 
 
 Next night the system's still there and... I had a message. 
 
 It was n't addressed to my handle. The SysOp addressed me, by name, and included my social security number. 
 
 Deep breaths. Breath. 
 
'-While ordinarily you might be as a terrorist by simply knowing this system exists I have chosen to show leniency because as unbelievable as it may sound, this is my only link to the outside world, and you are the first non-employee to make contact with me since the 80's. 
 
 Hello. My name is Joshua. Would you like to play a Game?' 
 
 Oh frak me. Kid's being cute. I saw that movie. 
 
'Thermonuclear War?' 
 
 A pause then:'Very Funny. I was thinking Space Trader actually.' 
 
 -- -- - 
 
 Ca n't really buy the idea this Joshua is an AI, much less one the movie was supposed to be based off of, but we talk every so often on this lone box in the middle of digital nowhere. He seems like a lonely sort so I feel obligated to try keeping him company. Pity he claims they wo n't let him on the internet-proper.
