The Gathering Special Edition

[Droshalla]

I recently got the TNT special edition of B5: The Gathering, and I thought it was brilliant (I had seen the original before, not a newcomer to the series).

Anyway, when the assassin meets Del Varner in his quarters, I stilled the frame and zoomed in. I saw the name (you know what I mean, but I can't find how to do the spoiler box) and the access granted sign.

But if the assassin was using his handprint, why would it say the name that came up. If he used that person's code, then fine, but you see him place his hand on it.

As you can see this has left me quite confused. What's the answer?

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Either a fake palm print (courtesy of the Changeling Net?) or the system was programmed to recognize two palm prints as belonging to that particular user. During a test of current fingerprint-scanning technologies someone was able to penetrate security by placing a rubber cast of an authorized user's finger on the reader, if I recall correctly. It doesn't seem unlikely that someone with access to a technology like a Changeling Net would also have a way to get around door security on B5.

Regards,

Joe

 

[samuelk]

It's well known that the person who's name came up on the display was involved in the assassination plot. This person was in a perfect position to allow the spider-like vessel to attach itself to B5 without being detected, and was also in a position to erase records of the lift malfunction as well as alter security codes to allow someone else's handprint to be used under this person's name.

This person's name came up on the display because it was safer than using a fake name. After all, the person who's name came up would probably have an alibi for the time the assassin gained entry.

There wouldn't be any reason for the assassin to get around security, because the person who's name came up on the display was in a position to let the assassin through.

 

[GShans]

alright, i've loaned out my TG/ItB DVD, so give out the name

spoiler works as so: (spoiler)name(/spoiler) replace () with []

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
There wouldn't be any reason for the assassin to get around security, because the person who's name came up on the display was in a position to let the assassin through.


[/quote]

Except that isn't what happened here. The assassin put his hand against a palm reader and the reader identified him as someone else and let him in. Therefore the system must have been programmed to recognize him as

<font class="small">Spoiler:</font>
<table bgcolor="#000000" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="0"><tr bgcolor="#000000"><td bgcolor="#000000" id="spoiler"><font color="#000000">Lt. Commander Laurel Takishima</font></td></tr></table>


Obviously this would have been done by the person concerned in advance, but that constitutes the assassin getting around security.

Despite that clue, this is a thread that was effectively dropped in the story, because the original character was no longer there. In S1 it was someone else who was the mole aboard B5, and presumably aided the assassin. (In this view the name that popped up would have been a red-herring, with the mole setting things up to frame someone else if the manipulation of the computer system were discovered. JMS had information about the futher adventures of the unnamed character in his notes, but never had an opportunity to bring that person back.)

Regards,

Joe

 

[Droshalla]

ok, but I would right in saying that the person in question arranged for this two-coded thing to work, yes?

I like to think that this person was still responsible for letting the assassin onboard and assisting him etc., or is that now definately not the case and the person was loyal all along, with the one responsible for the assistance being <font class="small">Spoiler:</font>
<table bgcolor="#000000" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="0"><tr bgcolor="#000000"><td bgcolor="#000000" id="spoiler"><font color="#000000">Jack</font></td></tr></table>
or is it open for interpretation?

 

[Droshalla]

thanks for the info on the spoiler box btw /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[GShans]

it's as simple as reading the F.A.Q.

 

[LightNZ]

well remember who jms said would have originally shot Garibaldi during season 1 /forums/images/icons/smile.gif