Friday Lore Post: Temporal Bureau Department of Internal Security Report #34419bs3

Security Report #34419bs3

Incident: Break-in and theft from Department of Research Laboratory #4.

Primary Actor: Unknown.

Missing Item(s): Two transphasic scanners, one atomic deconstructor, Lab Specimen #52049 (Description from the Dept. of Research’s archive: “Specimen #52049 is a small computer node acquired from a machine of war encountered by Lieutenant Roberto C. Johnson during Earth’s twice-annual temporalspatial tear event. Johnson claims the machine had a design consistent with projected development of Earth technology into its twenty-ninth century”).

Investigating Officer: Lieutenant Jade Vekra, Department of Internal Security

Details of Incident: At 45:32-334.99/9, there was a disruption in the Department of Research’s internal security system consisting of three linear seconds. During this time, all monitoring systems and defensive structures were non-operational, and the Department of Research’s computer banks were unavailable for use. When the disruption passed, researchers noted that the manual lock to Laboratory #4 had not engaged per automatic routine, and that the laboratory had been entered by an unauthorized person or persons and the objects listed above removed without permission.

The Department of Internal Security was contacted and dispatched officers to investigate the apparent break-in. Investigation of the lock on Laboratory #4’s door indicated that the lock had been sabotaged prior to the security failure to prevent it from engaging. The sabotage was not captured on any security or computer log.

There was no evidence of Laboratory #4 having been searched and Department of Research Chief Peregrine indicated that no further objects had been stolen or even moved. The casing housing Specimen #52049 had been damaged, and analysis of the damage suggests a concentrated dark matter weapon.

No inappropriate DNA or other identifying traces could be recovered from the scene; all traces found in and around the laboratory corresponded to individuals with routine access to that space. Due to the experimental nature of the Department of Research’s work, and of Laboratory #4 in particular, most standard scans for temporal distortions indicating travel were unable to deliver any readings. A septilenral scan did reveal a short-wave quantum spiral that could not be attributed to any of the lab specimens or machinery.

None of the laboratory staff reported observing any inappropriate individuals or unusual phenomena in the area of the laboratory directly before, during or after the incident. Four researchers, including Chief Peregrine, were present in Laboratory #4 at the time of the incident and reported only that all equipment, including lights and ventilation, ceased functioning for three linear seconds, and then resumed functioning normally. Chief Peregrine did note after the fact that Laboratory Specimen #52001 had changed its behaviour after the incident and no longer seemed to be measuring antilepton activity in the laboratory.

There have been no further security disruptions in the Department of Research since this incident. The missing objects’ atomic traces were searched and not found.

Investigatory Notes: None of the interviewed staff had any knowledge of what might have caused the incident. Analysis of the septilenral scan results determined that the quantum spiral was most likely the result of an unconventional travelling device, possibly with a muon-based engine. The Department of Research has asked permission to analyse the results in the hopes of devising a means of tracking the hypothetical device. Permission was granted on the condition that the research be carried out in Laboratory #7 and security measures increased.

The unknown culprit appears to have left Temporal Bureau headquarters with the stolen items. The case was therefore transferred to the Department of Temporal Law Enforcement for further follow-up by Captain Fluffypaws. Because the stolen specimen is hypothesized to have appeared from a nonexistent timeline, the Department of Temporal Coherence dispatched Detective N’rak Hypf to investigate the theft as well. The Departments of Temporal Law Enforcement and Coherence are copied on this report, and are requested to copy their own findings to the Department of Internal Security as well. The Department of Research has also asked to be copied on all material pertinent to this case.

Preliminary Conclusions: The Department of Internal Security notes that there have been four minor security disruptions across Bureau headquarters recently as the security system is updated. These brief outages were expected and planned for when the security update was proposed to the Bureau Chief, and the possibility of a security breach happening during such an outage deemed to be worth the minimal risk. The possibility exists that the sabotage to the door on laboratory #4 could have been carried out during one of these brief disruptions.

It appears that Laboratory Specimen #52049 was the primary target of the theft. The other materials were on the same surface and may have only been taken as a distraction or on a whim. This indicates the culprit either struggles to contain impulsive behaviours or did not know what they were stealing. The theft of two transphasic scanners rather than only one supports this hypothesis.

Recommendations: The internal security of the Department of Research should be reviewed and the locking mechanisms on all laboratory doors upgraded. Before the security system upgrades cause further disruption, plans should be in place to limit the possibility for access and egress from all parts of Bureau headquarters by personnel nonessential to that area.

Detective Jade Vekra, 45:32-335.79/2

(End Copied Report. The following is for Department of Internal Security only)

Given the possibility the culprit potentially took advantage of a very brief disruption in the security system that was not common knowledge, and the relatively minor damage to Laboratory #4, indicating a clear target for theft, the Department of Internal Security will keep this case open until it can be confirmed that the intruder did not have access to confidential security information from within the Bureau. At this time, it appears that such information was leaked, either accidentally or with malevolent intent, or that the theft was perpetrated by an individual or individuals with access to Bureau security.

Detective N’rak Hypf attempted on several occasions to take over the internal investigation under the auspices of the Department of Temporal Coherence. Concluding that the culprit had left Bureau headquarters and entered normal time and therefore passing the investigation over to Captain Fluffypaws prevented this. He has promised to treat this as a temporal crime to keep it, and I quote, “firmly in my cardboard box where it belongs.”

Dr. Peregrine also reported to the lead investigator in confidence that the Department of Temporal Coherence had previously tried to classify and confiscate Specimen #52049 before any research could be done to determine its origins. Dr. Peregrine’s intervention indicating that there was no conclusive proof the specimen in question came from a nonexistent timeline were critical in preventing the entire investigation being pre-emptively shuttered.

The Department of Temporal Coherence’s disproportionate interest in this particular specimen is considered somewhat suspect and though they are not suspected of having perpetrated the incident, closer attention to their behaviour over the course of this investigation is recommended. The ongoing security upgrades have not yet been implemented in the Department of Temporal Coherence’s offices, and this may be an opportunity to surveil them.

During the writing of the classified portion of this report, Dr. Peregrine contacted the lead investigator to report that the hypothetical muon-powered travelling device used by the intruder left microtraces of meta-atomic instability in its wake that are similar to those created by Laboratory Specimen #34621, colloquially known as the Involuted Clock, before its confiscation by (and subsequent disappearance from) the Department of Temporal Coherence. Dr. Peregrine was advised by the lead investigator not to report this information to the Department of Temporal Coherence at this time and has requested to be kept confidentially abreast of the internal investigation.    

This portion of this report is not to be stored on any device with communication potential and must be destroyed after reading.