You step up to the terminal again.

You step up to the terminal again.

Where should I put the cricket?

If anyone has the answer, it's this old terminal.

Place the cricket.

You know precisely which line to attach this to -- and you do.

A diode on the cricket's back lights up, and it lets out a pleasant chirp.

Look for a way to activate the terminal.

No buttons on the outer housing that you can see, no glowing standby light.

Run your fingers along the underside.

Your fingers find a steel drawer. It slides out with a creak, revealing a keyboard designed for gloves -- each key a chunky slab.

Press the ON button.

A low, wavering whine. Behind glass, the cathode ray tube flickers once, twice -- then flashes white.

SYSTEM WAKING... ▁▂▄▆█▒▓█▆▄▂▁ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø ...PLEASE WAIT... °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø

MEM CHECK........... 00016KB OK PORTS: COM1 | COM2 | AUX | TRNK DIAGNOSTIC MODE ENABLED. ▓▒░▒▓██▓▒░▒▓

><(((('> ><(((('> ><(((('> WELCOME TO RENOTEL CONTROL V1.2! ©87 RENOTEL ENTER COMMAND >_

Type 'HELP'.

AVAILABLE COMMANDS: 1. LINEDIAG 2. TRUNKMON 3. NETWORK

Can I use this for anything?

Based on the available options, this is a maintenance terminal. You might be able to get information on the Renotel network from here.

The first option -- some diagnostics tool?

So the name suggests. As for what kind of diagnostics...

Around you, hundreds of landlines run up and down the pylon.

I could look up details about local lines. Nice.

The identifier you found on the payphone for the Miracle Line -- try using it here.

But you'd need to know which line to look up for that. Maybe Miracle Line's payphone warrants a closer look.

Assuming you had some way to identify the line in question.

There's only one way to find out.

'Trunk monitor?' What's that about?

You know, for monitoring trunks.

Cool.

Only one way to find out.

(Glance over your shoulder.) Still sharp, still tight.

The terminal clunks, as if it's exhaling static.

Got it. (Move on.)

The screen flickers, awaiting your input.

Type 'LINEDIAG'.

== LINE DIAGNOSTIC MODE == Enter Landline Identifier to proceed. ----------------------------------------------- | * Line ID: [___________] | -----------------------------------------------

Enter the Miracle Line's identifier.

== LINEDIAG: NODE 04-P03 == ⠹⠸⠼⠴⠦⠧⠇⠏ ┌───────┐ │TONE OK │ └───────┘ STATUS: [▁▂▃▅▆▇] ACTIVE UPTIME: 8,132,440 MINUTES ROUTE MAP: TRNK-A02 > QSCHHUB-3 > EXIT 9 LOOP LENGTH: 2.7 km

⚠ VOLTAGE... -51.3 VDC ⚠ CURRENT... 21.6 mA ☑ LOAD COEFF... NORMAL (0.91) ☑ PAIR ID... 7C/12T ☏ TONE FREQ...... 1.024 kHz

Perfect. Now activate pilot-tone injection at 997 Hz, -20 dBm, below conversation level. You'll be able to follow the magnetic bleed.

What?

Tell terminal to make line go beep-boop in unique way. Then follow the beep-boop.

Don't be a dick.

The terminal watches on as your face contorts.

Oh, right.

You're not sure how yet, but the wealth of details should prove useful.

I think I can use this to find the wire that leads to the Miracle Line...

Well, that's good. I think...

An identifier. Hrmmm...

The Miracle Line should have an identifier on it somewhere. Finding it may require a closer look.

Or you could just brute force the terminal.

Type '777777'

The machine's internal speaker beeps sharply.

Splat your whole hand on the keyboard.

A random array of numbers line up in horizontal formation across the screen. It achieves nothing.

Maybe later. (Move on.)

Trace a path toward the Miracle Line.

That's it -- that's the line. There must be a way to inject a tone frequency. The terminal's structure looks straightforward enough...

Type 'INIT TONE GENERATOR.'

ERROR: INIT target not recognised.

But 'INIT' is recognised -- a good start. Think of the syntax you've seen. 'LINEDIAG', 'TRUNKMON'.

Type 'INIT TONEGEN'.

RENOTEL TONE INJECTION UTILITY v1.42 FOR AUTHORIZED TECHNICAL USE ONLY >> ENTER LINE ID: _ >> ENTER FREQUENCY (HZ): _

Punch in the Miracle Line's ID, and give it a unique frequency.

[CHECKING LINE COUPLER....... OK] [CHECKING TONE DAC.......... OK] [VERIFYING SLEW RATE........ OK] [CALIBRATING SIGNAL LEVEL... -11.5 dB]

>> TONE INJECTION COMPLETE >> PRESS ANY KEY TO RETURN TO MENU

What now?

Don't you hear the tone coming from one of the wires? That's where you need to place the cricket.

Don't you hear the tone coming from one of the wires? That's where you would place a wiretapping device.

Unfortunately, you don't have any. But your old tech-savvy friend Ramses probably does.

Staring at the terminal for several minutes isn't going to make anything happen. Try using it next time.

You don't know how any of this works. Not really. But you do know one thing: You're good.

I am?

Of course. That's why playing it by the book never worked. It wasn't written for people like you.

Sure, you could find Duchess, and make her talk. You could get Ramses to hold your hand. But why not wiretap the line yourself -- right here?

That's ridiculous.

And absurd. And dangerous. And definitely a crime... But also: impossibly cool.

No scripts. No permission. No tone injection. No plan. Just willpower, copper, and deadly amounts of electrical current.

OK... How?

You'll figure it out -- you always do. It's just a matter of connecting the right cables.

Some would say 'great'.

And they'd be right. That's why following the rules never worked for you. That's for average-to-decent operants. Not you.

Wiretap the line yourself.

You really think you've got this and, in your mind, you come close. Two cables are brought together in your hands, crackling with electricity, and...

Where once there was Operant CASCADE is now only the residue of a scream and a scorch mark.

You have no idea what you're doing, but you try. Two cables are brought together in your hands, crackling with electricity, and...

Step away from the terminal. [Leave.]

You close the box.

A slanted aluminium box is bolted into the pylon's spine. The word 'RENOTEL' is etched into the metal. A familiar dolphin grins at you.

Poke the dolphin.

Cold and hard, but the playful smile remains.

Open the box.

Inside, a slab of beige plastic -- an old terminal. Behind a clouded sheet of polyglass, the screen remains black.

Let it be. [Leave.]

You face the city once more.

A slanted aluminium box is bolted into the pylon's spine. Beneath the friendly dolphin emblem, the word 'RENOTEL' is etched into the metal.