Step AA: A Small Taste
On Dec.16, Tach posted a notice on her profile to let us know that the second wave of the Step by Step puzzle was about to commence:
This decoded (via Base 64 and hex) to:Step AA: A small taste.
(see below)
NDkyZjQ5NDkyMDViMzQ1ZDIwMmEyZj MwMGQwYTU4M2EyMDQ1MzE0NjM2NDYz
ODM5NDU0NDMxNDQ0NjBkMGE1OTNhMj A1NzY4NjE3NDIwNjU3NjY1NzI3OTZm
NmU2NTIwNzM2ODZmNzU2YzY0MjA2NT
YxNzQyMDZmNmUyMDc0Njg2NTY5NzIy MDYyNjk3Mjc0Njg2NDYxNzkyZTBkMG E=
At the same time, people who had emailed the language.lessons@gmail.com account (from Step 5: A Tiny Project) received an email with an encrypted .rar file, which can be found here:I/II [4] */0
X: E1F6F89ED1DF
Y: What everyone should eat on their birthday.
http://www.filelodge.com/files/room32/875912/AA
It quickly became clear that we needed to use the decoder ring to find the .rar password. Despite trying many of the obvious things that people should eat on their birthday (and some of the not-so-obvious, such as candles and family), we were unable to progress farther. Tach updated her profile again:
This turned out to be a clue that we should go back and listen to Loveline episodes for references to birthdays. After Tach pointed us toward Loveline, we found the answer. The answer is 504945, or PIE, which is what Adam Corolla says all real men should eat on their birthdays.[ A small hint: To find the answer, all you need is 'love.' Hopefully that will 'convert' you. ]
The password for the .rar was decoded from X: E1F6F89ED1DF and is "aww..." The file was called GS01 and contains an email from Gemma to someone named Sebastian:
- - -from Gemma <gemmers19@gmail.com>
to Sebastian <sebastianv7@gmail.com>
date February 15, 2006 10:16 PM
subject Sincerest apologies
Dear Sebastian,
I want to apologize for my inappropriate remark after class today. It’s just that after spending so much time together, I am finding it quite difficult to suppress these feelings I seem to be developing for you. Based on your reaction, however, it appears you do not feel the same way towards me (please do let me know if I am mistaken).
I feel more than a tad embarrassed for putting my foot in it and creating such an awkward tension between us. I’ll understand if you do not wish to continue our professional relationship as a result, but I hope that won’t be the case.
Regardless, your friendship has meant so much to me these past few weeks and I am truly sorry for doing anything to jeopardize that. I am more than willing to do anything within my power to put this uncomfortable moment behind us.
Your friend,
Gemma
Step BB: A Small Victory
The next morning (Dec. 17), Tach updated her profile again and a new email was sent out from language.lessons@gmail.com. The email contained another encrypted .rar file, and contained the message “I trust my Brother (and his friends) can adapt as necessary." The update read:
This decoded (again, via Base 64 and hex) to:Step BB: A small victory?
(see below)
NDkyZjQ5NDkyMDViNDIyZDMxNWQyMD MwMmYzMDBkMGEwZDBhNTgzYTIwMzYz ODQzNDM0NTM2MzEzMzMyMzYzMzMzMz gzNTMyNDU0MzM5MGQwYTU5M2EyMDQ5 NjYyMDQ5Mjc2ZDIwNjY2Yzc1NmU2Yj Y5NmU2NzIwNDU2ZTY3NmM2OTczNjgy YzIwNzc2NTZjNmMyMDc0Njg2NTZlMj
A2MzZjNjU2MTcyNmM3OTJjMjA0OTI3 NmQyMD
Y0NzI2Zjc3NmU2OTZlNjcyZT BkMGEwZDBh
We interpreted [B-1] in a variety of ways, but the correct use of the clue was to move one place farther away from B on the outer ring of the decoder (in a counter-clockwise direction) for every letter we decoded. It ended up looking like this:I/II [B-1] 0/0
X: 68CCE6132633852EC9
Y: If I'm flunking English, well then clearly, I'm drowning.
We determined that Y: was a reference to the movie “The Sure Thing” (1985), which had been part of the Step 2: Movie Puzzle, but were unable to determine the keyword from looking at the script. Communications via email with Tachyon told us that we actually needed to watch the movie for the clue. We were still lost. Another round of emails directed us toward the depth of the pool in the relevant scene, and we were able to find the password: 3ft. (with period at the end). This led us to the .rar password L-I-V-I-N, and a file called TB01 containing the following email:BF46CE19A7D5382
Note: The names used in this email (Terry, Buddy, Greg Tolan, William Zabka) are a reference to the movie “Just One of the Guys.”Buddy,
Imagine my surprise when I saw the email address from your last assignment turn up in a few of the emails I’ve decrypted so far! And here I had been under the impression that there was more than one girl named Gemma in all of England!
I honestly think that reading all of them will bring you more pain than closure on the subject. But needless to say, you were right in your original assumption that you were set up by Gemma. In fact, the truth is just as bad as you'd feared it would be: Op sent Gemma in to sniff out “Sebastian.” And despite your initial resistance, you ultimately let her get close enough to you that it compromised the security of the mission.
It’s no coincidence either that she disappeared after spending time in your flat, right before those months of hard work establishing your cover as "Sebastian" started to come undone.
And you can also thank her for leading War Pylol to the front door of our safe house in the area. Until I hear otherwise, I will assume that you were followed there, and that you didn’t foolishly try to make contact with Gemma after your cover was blown.
In hindsight, it’s a miracle we spotted that "location verified, D in APHID" video in time to arrange for your safe passage to a secure location. Even though there were no casualties when the bomb detonated (sans the corpse we planted to fake your demise), it still doesn’t change the fact that it was meant to DESTROY you.
As we’ve both now learned, life as a suppressive person of sorts isn’t all that much fun when you’re on The Order's radar. I assume that your self-imposed house arrest, growing the beard, and living like a shut-in have all been attempts to keep them from making the connection that "Sebastian" is still alive (in some form)? I agree it's far better for them to merely think they are keeping an eye on my "clueless partner."
If you escaped your babysitter the same way I escaped mine, I’m pretty sure you’re smart enough to know what you have to do next.
But first, perhaps we should make a little time to see to it that Ms. Pouty Lips does not escape the reward of her action?
xoxox,
Terry
PS. Be aware, this might mean we have to cross paths with Greg Tolan (and I wish I were only referring to William Zabka).
This is where we are now. I’ll update as we complete steps.
( i mean you, not me!)
Ah, for the good old days. 
