He looked at the computer screen as a first message appeared.

WTFO

Scott didn"t know what to make of it, so he entered a simple response.

h.e.l.lo.

The computer screen paused briefly then came alive again.

ARE YOU SCOTT MASON?

Scott entered "Yes".

THIS IS KIRK

Scott wondered what the proper answer was to a non-question by a computer. So he retyped in his earlier greeting.

h.e.l.lo. Again.

IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME?

What a question! Scott answered quickly.

Please be gentle.

NO . . .AT CHATTING ON COMPUTER . . .

I call the computer at work. First time with a stranger. Is it safe?

Scott had a gestalt realization. This was fun. He didn"t talk to the paper"s computer. He treated it as an electronic mailbox.

But this, there was an attractiveness to the anonymity behind the game. Even if this Kirk was a flaming a.s.shole, he might have discovered a new form of entertainment.

VERY GOOD. YOU"RE QUICK.

Not too quick, sweetheart.

IS THIS REALLY SCOTT MASON?

Yes.

PROVE IT.

Kirk, or whoever this was, was comfortable with anonymity, obvi- ously. And paranoid. Sure, play the game.

You screwed up the NASA launch.

I DID NOT!!!!!!!!!! OK, IT"S YOU.

Glad to know it.

YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG.

What do I have wrong?

ABOUT HACKERS. WE"RE NOT BAD. ONLY A FEW BAD APPLES, JUST LIKE COPS AND REPORTERS. I HOPE YOU"RE A GOOD GUY.

You called me, remember?

STILL, IT"S NOT LIKE YOU THINK.

Sure, I think.

NO NO NO . . .HACKERS. WE"RE BASICALLY A GOOD LOT WHO ENJOY COMPUTERS FOR COMPUTERS SAKE.

That"s what I"ve been saying

REALLY. HEY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT A HACKER REALLY IS?

A guy who pokes his nose around where it"s not wanted. Like in NASA computers.

YEAH, THAT"S WHAT THE PRESS SAYS AND SO THAT"S WHAT THE COUNTRY THINKS. BUT IT"S NOT NECESSARILY SO.

So, change my mind.

LET ME GIVE YOU THE NAMES OF A FEW HACKERS. BILL GATES. HE FOUNDED MICROSOFT. WORTH A COUPLE OF BILLION. MITCH KAPOR.

FOUNDED LOTUS. STEVE WOZNIAK FOUNDED APPLE. GET THE POINT?

You still haven"t told me what you think a hacker is.

A HACKER IS SOMEONE WHO HACKS WITH COMPUTERS. SOMEONE WHO ENJOYS USING THEM, PROGRAMMING THEM, FIGURING OUT HOW THEY WORK, WHAT MAKES THEM TICK. PUSHING THEM TO THE LIMIT. EXTRACTING EVERY LAST INCH OF POWER FROM THEM. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU CALL SOMEONE WHO PLAYS WITH AMATEUR RADIOS?

A Ham.

AND WHAT DO YOU CALL SOMEONE WHO HAS A CALCULATOR IN HIS SHORT POCKET WITH A DOZEN BALLPOINT PENS?

In my day it was a sliderule, and we called them propeller heads.

THAT TRANSLATES. GOOD. AND WHAT DO YOU CALL SOMEONE WHO FLIES AIRPLANES FOR FUN?

A fly boy, s.p.a.ce jockey.

A CAR TINKERER?

A grease monkey

AND SOMEONE WHO JUMPS OUT OF PLANES?

f.u.c.king crazy!!!!