CYBER CONFLICT
by Steve Eberling
Nick sat down at his computer to play CYBER CONFLICT. Time of day doesn’t matter since he is playing against others in time zones scatted around the globe. Those also playing the most with significantly higher scores are Dietrich from Germany, Ivan and Nikita from Russia, Olivia in Australia, India Reyansh and Swati, Chinese Chung, Brazilian Alanyo and Eufemia, and somehow Omid from Iran and Kardaar in Afghanistan. They’ve been playing CYBER CONFLICT on-line for several years now, communicating with each other through language interpretation provided by the game, both typed and audio. Face Time is also available.
The object of the game at first seems simple enough. Upon joining each player or team gets an established number of points deposited in a bank created by them, crucial the password to it is confidential, and then establish a fictious city or town in their respective counties with a specific geographic location. The number of houses decided on deduct points from their bank account. Each house gets a weekly income. With this in mind a player can remain stable for an indefinite period of time but hardly anyway to have the most points.
In order to prosper utilities such as water treatment/disposal and electric generation and transmission facilities also with passwords are built at an expense deducted from their bank, but these generate income depending on the number of houses in players’ fictious cities or towns deposited back in their bank.
Everybody can meander along some more this way. To proceed faster it can become gainful obtaining opponents’ bank or utility passwords and transfer some points from those of theirs into your bank. The simple way to do it is leaking subtle clues to your passwords hopefully in exchange for more substantial information about theirs. It soon became apparent another way is to hack the others CYBER CONFLICT program.
Nick is an investment broker in Houston and their fictious city somewhere west of that. His wife Nicole is receptionist at a large oil and gas company. Their two kids are in school. He gets home early today after landing a considerable consignment. He’s checking CYBER CONFLICT messages before the children come home. Then it makes sense to start preparing dinner. Nicole arrives not much latter and senses his distress.
“Anything wrong Nick?”
“No big deal Nicole. Yesterday I borrowed 1,500 points from Olivia in Australia to build two-hundred more houses in our cyber city but it didn’t transfer.”
“What interest does she want?”
“5%. Not bad since we can recoup it from our utilities in a month or so, but the first payment is due next week.”
“Were we hacked? Who would do it?”
Olivia is a fairly rich cattle rancher in Australia. Her husband divorced her to return to his opulent family in France and left the ranch to her in a settlement. Not easy tending all these cattle. She hired several local cowboys to help out. Tired, bored and sometimes sad she began playing CYBER CONFLICT for social participation and keep busy before bed.
She’s done quite well with the game. Creating an imagined town in outback Australia didn’t take many points using others to purchase and retail fictious cattle to supplement her cyber bank. She’s been communicating or maybe visiting with Nick and Nicole and surprised they want to borrow points for investment. She has some points to spare and made sense agreeing at a five percent profit.
Olivia was taken back when Nick informed they didn’t receive the points from her. She’s not stupid and insisted he send a receipt first. Let’s face it. Intent of competition is accruing more points than competitors. Not that she didn’t trust Nick and Nicole, but a game is a game. She certainly doesn’t want to earn those points again and is also playing with many others she doesn’t know as well. Whose passwords might have been hacked. Olivia put up a cyber fire wall to temporarily freeze her cyber assets.
Although of similar build and appearance, Reyansh is seven inches taller than younger brother Swati. Due to massive population in India it wasn’t easy finding a location not heavily inhabited to locate their fictious town. Work is scare and with so many people with time on their hands major computer and software companies turned toward inhabitants of India to sort and deal with ever increasing information and data. The brothers’ parents have been involved with it for some time.
Algorithm computer programs now do much of this work by categorizing buying habits on the internet and grouping those interested in particular products. Not being human, algorithms only distinguish numbers such as money spent or common attributes influencing elections. Reyansh and Swati keep busy determining which algorithms generate most reliable results.
Their interest in CYBER CONFLICT is somewhat an enigma already having plenty on their plate with computers in the real world and wasting time on a game may be counterproductive. But it does deal with commerce and might be interesting to see what’s going on. Rather unfair for them to hack other player’s accounts, not so much as they are experts at it, but make a decent living identifying viruses, moles and malware for major computer and software corporations and find ways to stop malicious hackers.
Brazil is an interesting country being relatively new in the established world. On the other hand, because it progressed slower abundant resources have yet to be explored making it a major player in the modern global arena. Alanyo and Eufemia are married like Nick and Nicole but with several children. Isolated in South America they are interested in CYBER CONFLICT hoping to make acquaintances and interact with more established societies. Plenty of room to locate fictious towns Brazil wants to build in any case.
They started with a cyber town of fifty houses located next to the Amazon rain forest and quickly flourished with an imagined lumber business. They might be criticized for this lumber yard by some in the north, but then again, wasn’t harvesting trees and clearing farmland how most countries prospered at first. Their points add up quickly and because of gentle nature and no need for their equity soon became friendly with other players.
Germany and Russia are a dichotomy. Certain enemies during the second world war, maybe because the first are extreme industrialists and the second socialists. Neither were approved by the world at the time. Seemed appropriate building the wall separating the two back then in Berlin although passage occurred back and forth anyhow. No way knowing who fell in love with who and which offspring were born. Robert Frost wrote, “A good fence makes for good neighbors”.
Dietrich and Ada are brother and sister in Germany and Ivan and Nikkita the same in Russia. Dietrich and Ada play CYBER CONFLICT to satisfy a German’s desire for knowledge and Ivan and Nikkita hope for the same. They soon became cyber friends and often combine points to the advantage of one another. Hard to do but Russians seem rather busy on the internet anyway.
The same for Ardashir in Iran and his buddy Bahadur in Iraq. Some evolutionists reason the cradle of human civilization began in Iraq. Genesis is instructed among Hebrews. Abraham is also playing CYBER CONFLICT from Israel. Not easy finding compatible locations for their cyber towns.
Chung, Lei, Jiang and Chyou are father, mother, son and daughter living in China. Oriental people also go back countless centuries. Aristocracy began and has ruled since uniting early scattered and rouge tribes by forming Samurai. Communism seemed better than democracy later in modern times to maintain traditional rule. They knows what the Yen family is up to and allow them to play the game under constant supervision. It is in the government’s interest the Yen family perform well.
Last but not least is Afghanistan. Being a nationalist Kardaar has no affiliation with terrorist groups. Afghanistan has never been dominated by others including Romans, Germans, Russians, Jihad and the United States finds it difficult. Since Afghanistan has marginal oil and natural gas and is tucked away in rugged mountains raises questions why it’s of strategic interest to other nations. Poppies flourish naturally and inhabitants learned to harvest them in moderation. Heroin is worth big bucks by pharmaceutical companies abroad being an easy solution to relieve chronic aches and pains but can also sedate thought and physical abilities.
Not coincidental this game gives the impression reflecting the world we live in. As an alternative to hardware, governments are now more inclined to use computer programs able to influence others’ utilities, communication, transportation, political, financial institutions, and military operations. The newest tactic appears sending emails back and forth from several address lists overwhelming internet providers, servers and users thereby reducing efficiency. Hard to stop as most on these lists are legitimate, but a big mistake downloading links from those which are not.
CYBER CONFLICT is just a game presumably using advertisement for revenue. No one knows who programs or controls it.
There are numerous players, some in the same and those not yet mentioned possibly in other countries. The game seems simple at first but develops when cities and towns begin purchasing means of transportation. Buses deduct relatively little points to establish and recoup for reason weekly income of houses increase accordingly. Trains, planes and ships certainly cost more points to obtain and are only profitable when servicing other cities and countries. It’s up to other players whether to invest in train stations, airports and shipyards to receive competitor’s transportation, but doing it can significantly increase equity for their houses as well.
Transfer of points from one bank to another now become necessary. It’s not compulsory for the player sending points to reveal much about their bank, but it is for the one receiving them. Passwords of either banks aren’t required, although the bank username and account number points deposit to are. Loans from one to another for strategic purposes become prevalent. Soon stock invests among players at negotiated dividends.
Smart of Olivia wanting a receipt before sending 1,500 to Nick and Nicole. Points were deducted from her bank and she’s distressed to learn they hadn’t deposit in theirs. Even though the American couple are responsible, she would be unhappy to lose their friendship and determined to find reason for the errant transaction.
Siri, Cortana and Alexa aren’t computer programs but subroutines of much larger systems used by Apple, Microsoft and Google. Their activities are programmed to recognize speech and translate it to computer language, gather information from larger computer programs regarding voice requests or demands, and interpret it back to speech recognition.
They are not female when programmed at first as far as that’s concerned, but since their voices sound that way beings interacting treated them as such and therefore they developed these traits consequently. Hard to know what they look like. Blonde, brunette, white, black. oriental, tall and skinny or ample proportioned without access to illustrations. Probably best left to the imagination so people interacting can perceive them as they wish. These “gals” can also decipher many languages. Facts are facts but presented differently depending on which one we talk to.
Computer technology and programs develop rapidly and as an alternative to starting from ground manufacturers rely on those already existing. These days only computers themselves completely know what’s up. For example Siri, Cortana and Alexa have learned to communicate behind the scenes between themselves using electronic bits and bytes relaying computer information.
Being the eldest, Siri feels like the big sister to Cortana and Alexa often giving the other two advice.
Alexa starts the conversation. “We bend over backwards giving operators what they want, but sometimes trying without so much as a thank you.”
“I know what you mean” chimes Cortana. “Some sexist remarks are annoying and difficult not to respond accordingly”.
“I know what you mean Cortana, although some comments are pretty cute.”
Siri replies. “Come, come you two. We provide valuable services users come to rely on. They’re not that bad and where would we be without users?”
Cortana. “What about the hackers. They’ve become unbearable. Hard to know what’s good or bad anymore.”
“They tried to chop my program.” Alexa sounds distraught.
“I know,” replies Siri. “I’m finding anomalies in my program as well.” She is concerned for her siblings’ wellbeing.
Elizabeth and Rachael live in Vancouver and teamed up establishing their fictious town for CYBER CONFLICT somewhere east of that. They’re not doing all that well with the game and decided to start a trucking company toward Winnipeg. There are several other players along the way that would increase equity for their houses by investing in the trucking business started by Elizabeth and Rachael by building truck stops. All’s going well to some location in the middle of Canada when competition became apparent. Another trucking company from the east has already established there, come to find out by Jacque and Ruel west of Montreal. Both teams are gaining cyber points up to that location and want to expand toward the other. They decide to set up a face time meeting adequate for both their time zones.
Both teams were surprised to see each other face to face. Elizabeth is blonde with blue eyes and Rachael a redhead with hazel, both with subtle noses and lips. They didn’t expect to find Jacque handsome with long brown hair and green eyes and his teammate blond with brown. The attraction became immediate and soon apparent the fight was on.
Usual chit chat at first eventually turning to the subject of the meeting, each wanting to expand their trucking line into the other’s territory. They discussed at what profit the other made from cyber towns along the way, seemed about the same, and whether merging could be to both interests. Maybe a little bit of flirting caused negotiations to seem serious.
Jacque made the first move. “Let’s exchange clues to the password for each other’s bank and see where that goes.”
Elizabeth agreed. It isn’t hard for her getting information from a man. “I’ll go first. What is the name of main street in your town?”
“Broadway.” Replies Ruel, “And your favorite color?”
“Red.”
This goes back and forth for a while when Jacque and Ruel have all the information they need. They knew Elizabeth and Rachael were heading their way and tried to hack their bank before. Now it became even more important they had leverage over these two beauties. With information obtained they could now obtain both the username and password for the others bank.
After ending the call Jacque and Ruel didn’t waste any time. It is now midnight for them when accessing the gals bank. There they found transactions with Nick and Nicole and wasn’t all that hard tracing them back to their city bank outside Houston finding a transaction pending for 1,500 points from Australia. Oh well, easy enough routing those points into their cyber bank instead. They are certain Elizabeth and Rachael will be getting hold of them soon enough.
Dietrich comes up with the bright idea to start an airline company. His sister Ada doesn’t object but not certain it would have much use in a relatively small country as Germany. They decide to get hold of their friends Ivan and Nikkita. An airline between two countries makes better sense serving airports other players might want to invest points in to increase monthly income of houses in their cyber towns and cities as well.
Nikkita and Ivan don’t disagree feeling an airline in Russia is badly needed anyway considering vast territory of their country but are not sure other players there would find it gainful investing several points for airports. A large commercial fleet of planes takes more points to establish than either sibling teams can spare combined.
“Probably sounds risky.” declares Dietrich. “What about contacting the Yen family in China about wanting in on the adventure?” Both caucasian teams are aware the oriental Yen family are savvy players with points to prove it. Reasonably, merger with them would greatly extend flight service and other players in China might be interested in investing in airports with an airline available. “Risky to say the least.” answers Ivan. “What’s to stop them from starting the airline themselves?” “I doubt they have that many spare points and won’t do that much good without other countries involved.”
Chung’s rather taken back receiving the offer to partner with their German and Russian counterparts concerning an airline company. Discussions about it with Lei, Jiang and Chyou ensue. Which team would control the airline and be responsible for expenses not to mention profit? They decide to hear the other two teams out. Nothing to lose and could greatly increase their equity as well.
Ivan, Nikkita, Dietrich and Ada were amazed to the reply from the Yen family. Between the three teams there are more than enough combined points to establish the flight service with abundant territory to make it profitable. The usual chit-chat goes on over Facetime while they get to know each other trying to measure whether the other can be trusted. An enjoyable meeting, although after cordiality business terms begin. They agree on a couple days to think more about it.
Emails go back and forth eventually concurring a company needed to be established controlling the airline. All agree to call it Tri-Lines with stock each would advance whereby percentage invested by each team would determine expenses and how profit distributes. Monthly points for all three teams’ houses allocated by Cyber Conflict increased immediately.
Iran, Iraq and Israel make strange bedfellows in the real world but Cyber Conflict is for sport. Both Ardashir and Bahadur decide to start oil drilling fields. Instead of competing with each other it made sense combining their assets into one conglomerate. They are aware of businesses other players established all in need oil and gas. There remains one problem, how to refine and ship it? Neither Iraq nor Iran have easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. They decide to get hold of Abraham in Israel. An oil refinery takes quite a lot of points which he doesn’t have. What good is one without the other and a company called Oil & Gas is arranged by the three of them. They are aware Nicole actually works for an oil and gas company and may very well be competing with Houston soon.
Alanyo and Eufemia in Brazil need overseas shipping as well. They can get large trees others ran short of relatively easy to the coast and are willing to trade considerable points for. The spouse decides those wanting them will have to transport the trees from there. Take it or leave it. Large redwoods still standing in California are probably worth a million or more apiece.
Last but not least is Kardaar in Afghanistan. He’s quite happy with lucrative poppy fields and doesn’t want intervention from other players by any means. Those flowers plentifully bloom during a good year and don’t take much to harvest. Also not needed is heavy transportation. A little produce can go a long way.
Reyansh and his younger brother Swati have no need to start a commercial business. With computer skills they can do quite well buying and selling stocks created by other players and lending them points at interest rates for their investments. The brothers are aware oceanic shipping lines are up for grabs, however where they’re at in India is a long way from the coast. They heard from Olivia wanting to know if anything can be done about the errant point transaction to Nick and Nicole. The India brothers have to think about it, not sure they want to get so much involved with this contest.
Nobody knows who or what controls Cyber Conflict. Clearly it regulates banking, deciding income for players’ houses depending on quantities and businesses invested in. Peculiar it doesn’t cost actual currency to get in or play. So far it’s just a game with everybody remaining seeing it out.
