The Enigma Wraith

We got people downstream screaming that water levels are rising way too fast. The people upstream want to know if the drought is over based on all the water we are cutting free. The power division wants to bill us for all the sponges they have to buy and use to sponge up their melted power and switching stations!

“If it’s not too much trouble, can you stop screwing around up there and bring this mess under control now?”

Just as the frantic supervisor was about to scream help, Pavan looked down at the SCADA terminal with its familiar login prompt. He accessed the system and began corrective actions. The supervisor watched the activity and saw marked improvement as it occurred with each command Pavan entered. He witnessed the catastrophic pitch of the hydroelectric dam as it started to respond to the entered terminal commands. Slowly each of the systems was brought back under control. Their pulse rates in turn slowed as well. The supervisor almost calmly recounted the situation to the headquarters’ caller. It would take a few hours to restore everything to the pre-event operational levels, but they were past the danger point.

Then as system diagnostics were begun, Pavan’s SCADA screen cleared again and another message was displayed that read:

The Ghost Code exercise has completed.

Please gather up all your possessions and leave by the nearest exit. The theater management hopes you enjoyed the show.

The screen cleared and displayed a shadowy smiley face that dissolved after a few seconds back to the regular command terminal screen. Astonished, Pavan turned around to see that the supervisor had also witnessed the event.