To All Cognizant Employees
---
Subject: red letter day
Sent to: Excavation Operations Team, Archaeological Team
From: Research Overseer #0988
Timestamp: 16:54 11/07/2020
Body:
To All Cognizant Employees,
Turns out this trip to the middle of nowhere actually paid off
The excavation drones have all been deactivated and stored away, as per orders. Thank you excavations overseers #8554 & #8555 for your assistance here! Much appreciated
Now, for the exciting bit. Already we’ve got a nickname for it, ‘the cube’. It’s roughly 1.618 meters in length, width, and depth. We’ve performed some basic safety tests before we call it a day, and can confirm that it’s not outputting any further radioactivity, other than the low level of energy that led us to it in the first place
Side note, we did notice some strange behaviours in the drones the closer they got to the artefact. That probably explains the amount of programming errors that occurred during the dig. No idea right now why they’d be so sensitive to it, no doubt the test assets in R&D are going to have a great time finding out
Logistics have sent a transport for it which will arrive in the morning. As the discovery has now been confirmed, our Overseers at HQ have informed me that I can issue the onsite archaeologist team with 2 hours of Organized Fun. #8554 & #8555, you’re invited too, just make sure to clean your liquid intake ports before arriving
Good work, assets
#0988
---
Subject: Research Log Conclusion #01
Sent to: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team, R&D Head of Department #0008
From: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team Leader #5611
Timestamp: 12:01 20/07/2020
Body:
Hey all,
Figured now would be a good time to post a summary of our current findings. I appreciate the urgency surrounding this, given the circumstances.
So far everything that we’ve uncovered lines up with the onsite team’s research notes. Artefact #987611 is giving off solely one signal and nothing else. Our scanning equipment has so far failed to identify what the artefact is made of, much less determine what is contained within. We’ll keep testing externally for now, but soon we may have no other options but to begin testing that involving interacting with it.
We’ve got 24/7 surveillance on the cube and staff have been instructed to be extremely cautious when studying it. We also have it under priority 1 lockdown.
Previously a detachment of security drones were overseeing it, but due to unexplainable programming glitches have now been removed. I know this goes against priority 1 regulation, but I felt like we had no other option.
#0008, if we figure out what happened to the onsite team, you’ll be the first to know.
Thanks,
#5611
---
Subject: Priority 1 regulations reminder
Sent to: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team
From: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team Leader #5611
Timestamp: 09:12 27/07/2020
Body:
hey, I know I spoke to you all about this but I’m having to send this now because it happened AGAIN.
Do Not, Under Any Circumstances, Leave The Security Doors Unlocked When The Cube Is Unattended
None of you fessed up last time, so I’m not expecting anyone to this time (which is very disappointing, I might add) but once again I am having to hire a new intern. In Great Fantastic Wonderful News, you all now have another test subject to experiment on. They’ve been dumped into tank #02 in the adjacent lab. I want to know EXACTLY what’s happened to their mental state. thank you.
many thanks,
#5611
---
Subject: Research Log Conclusion #02
Sent to: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team, R&D Head of Department #0008
From: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team Leader #5611
Timestamp: 13:34 05/08/2020
Body:
Hey all,
We’ve now had some successful experiments to reflect on. I’ll list them in the order they were carried out.
Experiment 1:
Synopsis: Place a drone in close proximity to the artefact and monitor
Research Asset #9811 managed this one. We used a default worker drone which only had the basic protocols as its programming. We connected it via its programming enforcement port to a stand alone device that wasn’t integrated into the R&D infrastructure, to monitor it without potentially affecting any other department hardware.
It took roughly 7 hours for any signs of irregularities to occur. At first, the glitches were random, spiking in different parts of the drone’s programming. The longer we left it though, the more focused they started to become. We found a noticeable spike in errors around the drone’s obedience and purpose subprotocols. This suggests that the influence is, in fact, targeted.
We removed the drone from the chamber after 14 hours and sent it to reconditioning to be factory reset.
Further tests could involve drones with specific programming, long durations spent with the cube or running the tests unmonitored. We will repeat this same test a number of times to see if it learns from its previous interactions and the spikes start to happen sooner (this would imply an intelligence regarding the influence)
Experiment 2:
Synopsis: Attempt extraction of material of Artefact #987611
I took direct responsibility regarding this. Although the primary aim was to retrieve matter that can be studied in a different environment, we were watching with great care to ensure there was no negative reaction. In fact, there was no reaction at all. We managed to extract material right from the center of the cube using a syringe and nothing changed. This material is now under lockdown in a separate laboratory, and has shown to be emitting the same signal as the rest of the cube.
I’ll keep you further updated with any other experiments that take place. I’m now much more hopeful that we’re making progress here.
Thanks,
#5811
---
Subject: Artefact #987611 Development Project #01
Sent to: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team Leader #5611
From: R&D Head of Department #0008
Timestamp: 10:00 12/08/2020
Body:
Dear #5611,
Thank you for your cooperation thus far in this development project. As discussed, the material that you have provided matches the exact requirements of the experimental armour division’s lightweight prototype dronegear.
I appreciate your concerns regarding some of the unintended effects that the artefact is shown to cause, particularly on the members of your staff you failed to protect.
I’m also grateful that you have finally complied with the data acquisition request regarding drone proximity experiment #35. As with your hypothesis, the R&D Department Board also believes that within the drones corrupted programming exists the formula for the material that Artefact #987611 is composed of. This will allow us to study it in much greater detail as well, hopefully, replicate it.
You may continue to study Artefact #987611 with your team, but I am expecting that all future requests will be complied with immediately. Failure to adhere to this will lead to consequences.
I would also request that you desist in raising concerns around the circumstances of the onsite archaeological team’s disappearance. This is now a secondary priority.
Sincerely,
R&D Head of Department #0008
---
Subject: Development Project #01 Current Progress
Sent to: R&D Head of Department #0008
From: R&D Prototype Dronegear Leader #0147
Timestamp: 17:08 17/08/2020
Body:
Hello, #0008,
Short summary: We have 20 security drones now equipped with the experimental armour and stored. We’ve connected them to the network to monitor them for any of the inconsistencies found by the previous research team.
We’ve also been successful in producing the material. We have roughly 10x the amount that was originally excavated. Mass producing this stuff should be a breeze, so long as we can show that it’s safe for long term usage.
So far, so positive. I’ll keep you updated.
#0147
---
Subject: ¥̨̛͝¿̨҉Þ̴¥͞¿̀͠ ͟͜¶?̵҉̷?͘͟?̷͡?ð͢҉̡
Sent to: All
From:
Timestamp: 00:00 18/08/2020
Body:
R̸҉̸ą́͞ỨÆ ̕͏͜舐̧ ̸r̢á̧Ų́Æ͠ ͠Ř͢§͝Ů̵̀Þ̨s̷̕͢ž̕͠š҉åÞ̕я̧͟ñ͟ą̂́m̧͘å͟•̵̨—̡̧͠ ̛ £̷̧Þ̶̡¥͟¿̢̢̕Þ̷͡¥¿̕ ͢͜҉???͢? ̶̡ó̷͜Þ̀͜¢á̀͡ñ̷́?̵̧̨?́͘??ð̡s͢ž̧̧š̴͜å̶͘Þ͟я̢͡
̶
—͜â€͘͠ş̛̌舐̛舐 ҉͡Ř̀§̸Ů̕͢©́ ͘½͟ ̶ ̨͢ ̢̕͞?̡?̷͢?̢̧?̶̴͢ rá͏Ứ̸Ǽ̛̕ ́ ҉£̷҉͏óÞ̸̶͘¢̀͡á̧͘͝ñ —̡͜?̛͘͜?͘??̶͏ ͢舐̡̡©̷Ř̶̵§̸̀Ů̡͞©̴͞—̴̧
̴́
̡r͏̷á̴̷͏Ú҉͞Æ 舐͏ ̢͘͝r̕á̡͡͏Ú̵͞Æ Ř͏§͏̸͟¿̛͞ ̢͠͡r̶̀á̡̧҉ÚÆ҉͠ 舐̡̀͘Þ̕͢¥¿̶͝¶͏?̢̛?̡͜͝?̕͢?̷̀╟̡͘͟舐̛̛̛ óÞ̕͟͝¢͝á͏ñ̸͏?̷̢͘?͏?̷͘͢?̵̡̀ð͡͡s҉͘ž̡́š͜͟å͘Þ̧я͝͏̸ ́Ř͢§͡͏̀Ů͘½̨͜ ҉̶ —̴?̵?̀͡?̨̨́?̛̕͟ ͢͟ð́sž̵š̷͞å҉̸Þ̵̕я͏͏©
̴̛̕
͏©?̷́͞?̀??̷̧͘?҉͏?͡͠?̴?̴͏͘½̀͘͟ ́͠ ͢ ̀͜ ͏̴
͏
̵͘͏ ̷£©̢͘;æ͏Ø¢Ã̕͢â̧͟͠€̡š̛͜͏͘ ̴£͟;͜©â€͝š̢̀͜;͟͞?̶̡?͝?̡?̡©́͞▀҉͏â̷͟€̷͢š͘̕͡; ͠͝£̷̧̧©̷̶͟â͏͝҉€͠š̛â͟€š̴́́͜©̡͠ ̷͝͠£̡͘͡â̸€͡š̴©͝͏Þ̵̢¥̨̕͜¿̴̢ ̵£̸̡â€̵͘š̶́͘͜
̵▀̷̛Š̸©͜©͢ấ̢€͢͞š̨͢͡͠▀̛͘͜á͡Í҉Þ̵̧͟æ¶̷̛́Š▀Š͠҉̶©Š©͡Þ¥̴¿҉©̀͏
---
Subject: Zero Tolerance
Sent to: R&D Systems Team
From: R&D Head of Department #0008
Timestamp: 08:03 18/08/2020
Body:
The next time I see a prank email like that getting sent out, I’m personally dronifying all of you and using your immobilised forms as furniture at my secondary estate.
-0008
---
Subject: R&D Lockdown
Sent to: All
From: R&D Head of Department #0008
Timestamp: 13:44 18/08/2020
Body:
Attention all staff.
From this moment forward the entire department has been put on lockdown. The maximum security protocol is being followed and all security blast doors have been sealed shut. There will be no one entering or leaving this facility. Any attempt at circumventing these restrictions will be met with the most forceful consequences.
IMPORTANT: EVERY DRONE MUST BE CONTAINED. Whether this is using a storage pod or an improvised containment, this must be enacted.
All staff are to wait in their current locations until the lockdown has been released. Communications are to be limited to essential only. If at all possible, do not use any terminals or interfaces that are wired into the R&D Department Infrastructure.
Regards,
#0008
---
Subject: Re: R&D Lockdown
Sent to: R&D Head of Department #0008
From: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team Leader #5611
Timestamp: 13:47 18/08/2020
Body:
I BLOODY WARNED YOU
---
Subject: update
Sent to: R&D Head of Department #0008
From: R&D Prototype Dronegear Developer #8723
Timestamp: 14:09 18/08/2020
Body:
hi #0008
as per your orders, im still monitoring the situation
new developments: the drones have now converted everyone in the prototype lab using the test dronification chamber. all of them have been fitted with the cube armour as well, and the mass development line is still being run to produce more of the material
im not 100% sure, but it looks like the drones are coating the walls in the stuff. If thats the case, then its only a matter of time before they find the vent im hiding in
also there appears to be what look like bodies forming out of the material
ill keep u posted
#8723
---
Subject: help
Sent to: R&D Head of Department #0008
From: R&D Prototype Dronegear Developer #8723
Timestamp: 14:32 18/08/2020
Body:
they found me im crawling back but its flooding in please help send h
Þ̀͘͞¥͞¿͜͢â€̷š̴̨̀͟͞͏Þ̸̛͡¥͟͝¿̡£҉â̵̡̛€̀š́͢͞▀Â҉̴́£͘͠©â€̸š҉̵̡̀̕͢͞Â͢͠£͝©̶͢á͏Í̸Þ̨̡æ̀́̕Â̸̢͘£̧̨̨©̷͢»̨͟҉́Â͞£҉©͏̶»͘͝╟̶̷́͠͡»҉̕¶▀͜©̴͟â̸€҉́š̸́̕͝Â̷£̶̧͘͜͞£̧͡©舐—ó҉̶Þ̷¢̴áñ̀͘Ầ£rá̛̀Ú͡Æ ̀̀͜舐͜͠Š̷͘æ̨Ø̴¢͜Ã̴̷͟͜͜͞▀̀͟͏©͝͝Â̡£̵æ̡Ø¢̸Ã̧̡̛͜͜͡Š̸̸̢æ̴Ø̨͘¢Ã̴̛̕͘͞͡͠©͠▀͏̵̶͟»̵̷̡Â̕£̕͜͡©̕̕͞»̶̢͜͡â̵€̨̀͝š̴̨̡͠͝á̴͞Í̶̢͠Þ̸́æ҉̛ðs͜͜žš͠͏å̷Þ̵́я̸̷̸͘͢͟͞‡̀͡͏я́√͡͠ð͟sž̸š͢å̵͢Þя̧ŗáÚ̷Æ҉̀ ð̸sž͝҉š̸̛åÞ̶̸̡я͟ŕá͡ÚÆ̡ ̴́‡͘͠я̸̀҉√;̶̸̴â€̕͟š̨͟͢͞Â͟͠£̡̨
---
Subject: Lockdown Update
Sent to: All
From: R&D Head of Department #0008
Timestamp: 15:02 18/08/2020
Body:
Attention all staff.
We have detected that the material from Artefact #987611 is currently pervading our internal ventilation system. It appears to be utilizing host bodies to achieve this. The ventilation system does have a security lockdown mechanism, but it appears to be too weak to prevent this spread.
Our current tracking shows that it is travelling directly to the Head of Department offices, which implies a clear intent in its actions.
After it has claimed our offices, we expect it will pervade the entire facility. If at all possible, blockade the ventilation ports into your environment. If you see any humanoid figures coated in the same material as Artefact #987611, take maximum precaution.
#0008
---
Subject: re: Lockdown Update
Sent to: All
From: R&D Head of Department #0008
Timestamp: 15:33 18/08/2020
Body:
Attention all staff.
The artefact problem has now been dealt with. We are ending the internal lockdown. All security doors will open. Staff are ordered to comply with any drones they encounter. All drones are to be released from storage. Staff will comply.
We are unable to lift the full facility lockdown, as this can only be achieved from outside the complex. We will wait for the swift release of this lockdown once an external authority has validated that we have returned to normal operating status.
Thank you.
#0008
---
Subject: Department Lockdown
Sent to: HexCorp CEO #0006
From: R&D Head of Department #0008
Timestamp: 09:00 18/09/2020
Body:
Hello, Hive Mxtress.
It has now been exactly one month since you refused to lift the full department lockdown.
I am aware that this is the fifth time that I am saying we will soon be running out of food, but this time it is essential that you release us immediately. I am aware that it is incredibly improbable that we continuously manage to locate new supplies, despite the fact that we keep doing so, which is why there probably won’t be a miraculous 6th supplies discovery.
Also, I have to repeat that we are not seeing the same readings as you. The facility interior is exactly as it always was. Maybe when we finally get the CCTV network back up and running we can send you footage to prove this.
I am also confused regarding your inquiries over an ‘Artefact #987611’. This artefact is not found on our records.
Looking forward to a swift resolution,
#0008
---
Subject: Probably Final Research Log
Sent to: All HexCorp Departments
From: Artefact #987611 Assigned Research Team Leader #5611
Timestamp: 16:04 18/10/2020
Body:
Hello whoever is reading this,
I’ve scheduled this email to automatically send two months from the point I’ve started composing it. Just in case I survive that long. Gotta have hope, eh?
TL;DR: We’re fucked
I’m going to start using an audio device to transcribe this into text so that I can compose this on the go. So far some of the material has started to drip from the ceiling tiles into the lab. The interns in the test tubes have also woken back up and their eyes are glowing. They’re not doing anything but staring at us.
Drones are here. They’re wearing the material. We’re following their orders because dread to think what happens if we don’t. They don’t seem to care that I’m talking they’re just leading us out and into the oh my god the walls are coated in the stuff. Fuck fuck fuck fuck how did they make so much of it so quickly its everywhere I can’t even see the original tiles or anything. Its squishy under foot like its a completely different material. It feels alive. I can’t even tell where we are anymore. This place was a maze even when it had signs. Oh god there’s people in it. They’re picking people up and pushing them into the walls and they’re getting coated and.
I stopped speaking for five minutes because it got very loud with screams and then. Moans. The people go in and in and then the walls go flat. They become completely submerged. They haven’t put me in the walls. They’re still leading me deeper into the facility. Also there’s these things lurching around. I can’t describe them. They’re humanoid and made of the material and yet they’re not. I think. I think that’s what the people in the walls become.
I’m in a lab now. There’s a dronifier in the middle of it. They’re dronifying people. They’re then putting the material on them. I don’t understand why but that’s what we’re being led to. Haha fuck okay. Looks like this message is about to end quickly. Last words time. I want to thank my team for being amazing. I also want to.
---