What goes around ...
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Correct Answer
IT WAS DARK AND DUSTY IN THE SHADOW ARCHIVE, BUT AT LEAST I HAD FOUND IT. THE SHELVES MARCHED OFF INTO THE GLOOM, AND MOST OF THEM WERE EMPTY, THOUGH THERE WAS THE OCCASIONAL BOX OF PAPERS MARKED SA, WHICH HAD CLEARLY BEEN FORGOTTEN IN THE MOVE. THEY WOULD BE INTERESTING TO READ LATER, BUT NOTHING IN THEM LOOKED IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO HAVE EXCITED MY CO-CONSPIRATOR, WHOEVER THAT MIGHT BE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY TO GET DISCOURAGED, BUT I NEEDED TO RECOVER THE LIDAR SO I CARRIED ON SEARCHING FOR THE CHIMNEY. I EVENTUALLY FOUND IT AT THE BACK OF THE STACKS, BUT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF THE LIDAR OR OF ANY DISTURBANCE TO SUGGEST IT HAD FALLEN THAT FAR, SO I GUESSED IT MIGHT HAVE GOT CAUGHT ON A LEDGE HIGHER UP. FORTUNATELY THE CHIMNEY WAS FAIRLY WIDE, BUT NOT SO WIDE THAT I COULDN’T BRIDGE IT, AND ALL THOSE HOURS ON THE CLIMBING WALL PAID OFF AS I CLIMBED UP LOOKING FOR THE LOST MACHINE. AS I SUSPECTED, IT HAD CAUGHT ON ONE OF THE LEDGES DESIGNED TO CATCH RAIN, SO I MADE READY TO LOWER IT BACK DOWN, BUT AS I MOVED LOOSE BRICKS TO STEADY MYSELF PART OF THE INNER WALL COLLAPSED, AND TO MY AMAZEMENT I FOUND MYSELF STARING INTO A CONTROL ROOM. IT WAS VERY JULES VERNE AND WOULDN’T HAVE LOOKED OUT OF PLACE ON THE BRIDGE OF THE NAUTILUS. IT MUST HAVE BEEN CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY ONCE, ALL BRASS AND POLISHED INSTRUMENTS. THERE WAS A MAP ON THE WALL COVERED IN SMALL BULBS THAT I ASSUMED WOULD HAVE LIT UP TO SIGNIFY ACTIVITY, AND A BANK OF FINE NINETEENTH CENTURY TELEGRAPH MACHINES IN POLISHED WALNUT. UNLESS I WAS MISTAKEN I HAD FOUND DOUGLAS BLACK’S COMMAND CENTRE. UNDER A LARGE CIRCULAR OAK TABLE IN THE CENTRE OF THE ROOM THERE WAS A FILING SYSTEM WITH DRAWERS CONTAINING MAPS OF EVERY NATION, AND THE TABLE COULD BE TURNED LIKE A RESTAURANT LAZY SUSAN. THE WALLS WERE LINED WITH BRASS BOUND LEDGERS, AND FOLDERS MARKED WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE MISSION CODE NAMES. IN AMONGST THEM WAS THE MOST AMAZING FIND, BLACK’S CODE BOOK. IT CONTAINED A NUMBER OF KEYS AND, BEST OF ALL, A LIST OF CIPHERS AND WHEN AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE USED. IT WOULD BE WORTH A FORTUNE ON THE BIBLIOPHILE BLACK MARKET, BUT I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE SELLING IT. HARRY MIGHT BE INTERESTED, IF ONLY FOR HISTORICAL REASONS, BUT IF NOT THEN THIS WOULD FIND A HOME IN MY OWN PRIVATE COLLECTION.
I TOOK A SEAT BY THE TELEGRAPH AND PUT MY FEET UP, OPENING THE CODE BOOK AT RANDOM TO READ: “AS WITH THE THREE EMPERORS OPERATION, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO ENHANCE OPERATIONAL SECURITY DURING THE OPERATION ITSELF. IN THAT CASE, WE MOVED FROM PURELY LETTER SUBSTITUTION CRYPTOGRAMS TO TRANSPOSITION CIPHERS AND, AT THE URGING OF BARON PLAYFAIR, OTHER MORE COMPLICATED CIPHERS LIKE THE VIGENERE AND PLAYFAIR CIPHERS AND VARIANTS UPON THEM.” I WAS COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN WHAT I WAS READING, AND THEN IT HIT ME ...
A Hidden Agenda
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Correct Answer
INFILTRATING THE DELIBERATIONS OF OUR ENEMIES IS A PRINCIPAL GOAL, BUT, FOLLOWING MY DISCUSSIONS WITH PLAYFAIR, I HAVE COME TO SEE THAT THE CLASSICAL STRATEGY OF TRYING TO TURN A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE DELEGATIONS IS BOTH RISKY AND UNNECESSARY. ANY APPROACH TO SUCH AN INDIVIDUAL RISKS SIGNALLING OUR INTENTIONS AND UNDERMINES OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT OUR PLANS. SECRECY IS EVERYTHING. AS PLAYFAIR POINTS OUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS OFTEN HAVE LITTLE INFLUENCE ANYWAY. THEY ARE THERE TO PRESENT A POINT OF VIEW, AND, THE BEST OF THEM AT LEAST, TO LISTEN, BUT THEY HAVE LITTLE AUTHORITY. THE JUNIOR OFFICIALS ON THE OTHER HAND HAVE ALMOST TOTAL CONTROL OF EVENTS. THEY SET THE AGENDA IN DISCUSSION WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THEIR SENIORS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THEY TAKE THE RECORD OF THE MEETING. AFTER THE DELEGATES HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES IT IS THAT RECORD THAT BECOMES THE REALITY. WE DO NOT NEED TO BE THERE, OR EVEN TO KNOW WHAT WAS SAID. WE NEED ONLY TO KNOW WHAT HAS BEEN RECORDED AS THE TRUTH, AND WHERE POSSIBLE TO SHAPE THAT TRUTH IN OUR BEST INTERESTS. THIS I BELIEVE TO BE AN ENTIRELY NEW STRATEGY IN THE WORLD OF DIPLOMACY, AND I AM PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP IT WITH THE HELP OF SUCH A DISTINGUISHED FRIEND. PLAYFAIR IS A MAN OF CUNNING AND I ENJOY WORKING WITH HIM. NOWHERE HAS THIS CUNNING BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN IN HIS STRATEGY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE REICHSTADT MEETING.
ALEXANDER, FRANZ JOSEF, GORCHAKOV AND ANDRASSY MET TO AGREE TERMS ON RUSSIA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE BALKANS, AND THERE WAS A REAL RISK THAT THEY WOULD UNITE AND FIGHT TO CONTROL OUR TRADE ROUTES. WITH SUCH HIGH-LEVEL INVOLVEMENT IN THE DISCUSSIONS IT WAS CLEAR THAT WE WOULD HAVE LITTLE TO NO HOPE OF INFLUENCING THE PRINCIPALS AND SO WE DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE PLAYFAIR STRATEGY. APPLYING CAREFUL PRESSURE TO THE JUNIOR MEMBERS OF THE RETINUES, OUR AGENTS AND OFFICERS PERSUADED THEM TO REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS, PROVIDING US WITH THE INTELLIGENCE WE NEEDED TO PREPARE FOR THE FORTHCOMING WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. BUT OF FAR GREATER SIGNIFICANCE, THEY WERE ABLE TO ENSURE MAXIMUM CONFUSION AMONG OUR ENEMIES BY THE MOST MARVELLOUS STRATAGEM, WHICH I WILL REFER TO AS THE PLAYFAIR GAMBIT. THE OFFICIALS WERE ABLE TO PERSUADE THEIR LEADERS THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER NOT TO TAKE OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE MEETING. WHILE WE RECEIVED A FULL AND ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF ALL THE DISCUSSIONS, THE RUSSIAN AND AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN OFFICIALS WERE LEFT ONLY WITH INFORMAL PERSONAL NOTES OF THE DISCUSSIONS AND NO AGREED RECORD OF THE MEETING OR ITS AGREED OUTCOMES. WE FULLY INTEND TO EXPLOIT THIS UNCERTAINTY AT THE FORTHCOMING CONFERENCE IN CONSTANTINOPLE.
