Salem couldn't understand Yeerkish yet- he hadn't heard enough of it for the Andalite translator chip he'd had implanted to pick up the language- but it was pretty easy to guess what the ship was saying. Still, this might work out to his advantage.
He pulled the interface device from his pocket and spent a few seconds looking through whatever information it had gathered. He let out a low whistle. Say what you will about these rebels, he thought, but they're definitely security-savvy. The number of failsafes and encryptions that had activated during even his brief use of the system was daunting- and he didn't know how many layers he might have to break through. Still, now that he could see some of what he was up against, he could start working on breaking through or circumventing each security measure.
First thing, though, he had to gain access to the ship's systems. He set one of the device's processes to search for backdoor access to the communications logs- if Yeerk systems were programmed with such things, his equipment would find them. Eventually. In the meantime, he set the device to begin trying passwords and security codes to placate the main security system- the interface between his device and Yeerk technology was capable of trying only a few tens of thousands of passwords per second, so it would be slow going. With each incorrect filing, his device would send a cancellation request and a small electric pulse to confuse the information. None of his attempted passwords would be recorded by the system, except maybe as an occasional computer error. As the device fired up, the device emitted a low drone, that got higher and higher in pitch until, within a few seconds, it went well beyond the audible range of the human ear.
He shook his head. If the encryption was something more complex than a simple number or password, such as genetic or auditory encryption, he might never find it at this rate. He set up another routine to begin scanning all data accessed by the ship's computer. Each time a password was entered, the Yeerk computer had to compare it to the correct entry in order to be able to confirm failure. If he was lucky, this routine would be able to pull out the real encryption through the flurry of computer activity that was now occurring.
Almost as an afterthought, he set up another routine to begin searching the computer for unencrypted files, and perusing them for any clues to the security access, immediately afterward sending a similar cancellation request and electric pulse to nullify any record of file access. The clues it found would generate passwords that would then be prioritized by his search routine.
All he had to do now was cross his fingers and wait.
