Katie woke up, already tired and bored from the day that was no doubt ahead of her. She picked up her work uniform, the only clothes she seemed to wear these days, out of the pile of dirty clothes she kept on her bed. It's not like anyone really cared how clean she looked. Underwear, a bra, black pants, black steel-toed boots, a black shirt with "GREAZEBURGER" written on the upper left breast in yellow. She tied her left boot's laces, her right boot's laces were broken. She waited around at home for her shift to approach, not doing much, mostly collating her reports on Greaze for the Foundation's Investigation Team, though there was little to report these days. She watched some recorded tv shows on her Foundation issued laptop, made herself some pasta, sauceless. Before she knew it, it was time to go. She left for work, driving in her banged up blue Toyota with all the warning lights on and the gas low (she'd have to scavenge for some more later, she hated doing that) listening to her radio, since she couldnt be bothered to put on any of her own music from her phone. As VKTM whispered sweet madness into her third ear she careened down the road. At least the roads were empty, mostly, she mused. That car that she had honked at the other day for not turning left for three light cycles (she had assumed, because the road was rather busy) was still there, and still had its signal on. Turned out it didn't have a live occupant, really (that was annoying, but hey, what could you do). The parking lot was mostly empty, as usual, with a few stragglers shambling around the lot. For a moment, Katie sat in her car with the air conditioning, for all the good it did her, she had the time to. Katie arrived at the store early, because if she didn't she knew she'd show up late, or maybe even not show up at all.
Katie really hated her job. She deserved it though, really she did, she was the worst of her clone siblings. While her original was some sort of big shot with the Foundation, apparently, working on some sort of big time cloning project for the Overseers, Katie couldn't get it together enough to be given any sort of important job. They'd been put through accelerated college curriculum, aptitude tests and the like, her and her sisters, and most of them had made out like bandits. Ten was a doctor, Eleven was a vet, every one of the C series were made soldiers. Even Eight was left to futz around in her existential dread to find her own place. But not lucky number Five or was it Threeve? Twour? Theta? she was never given her number for some reason, but she took a name like the rest of them, and took a number too. Still, it could be worse, she supposed, she could be D-Class. Though she wasn't technically cleared to know about D-Class anymore. She wasn't even technically cleared to know about her own existence, she mused, given the cloning project that made her was Level 3 or 4 classified.
The time on her car's dashboard awoke her from her reminiscing, she would be late after all. She really needed to get a handle on her sense of time. Quickly walking inside the grocery store, she passed some she managed to arrive less than five minutes late and signed in under the careful watch of the Greazeburger All Seeing Eye, greeting her coworker Maria and signing in. She'd long ago stopped worrying with any regularity about any write-ups she might receive for this, she only ever got Written Up when Management was otherwise upset, and felt there was little she could have done. She went down her checklist, both for the Foundation and for Greazeburger. Checking refrigeration temperatures, taking pictures of the counter and the kitchens, moping up grease, silencing the screams, the usual.
Having completed her meager checklist, Katie stopped, immediately bored out of her mind. She chatted for a moment with the flesh of her coworker, within sight of management, slowly cleaned the counters, and then, when there was nothing else to do (and there rarely was) she took her position directly under the Eye, in its only blind spot, and took out her Foundation issue telephone. Neither Greazeburger nor the Foundation liked her doing that during work hours, a previous coworker had even gotten Written Up for it, but fuck those guys what the hell else was she supposed to do? The grocery store was almost never busy, and the few people, the real people who came in scavenged from the store and didn't even notice the bizarre counter that she called work. No real difference from before the apocalypse, except she couldn't get discounted coffee or sushi anymore from across the store. Oh yeah, the apocalypse, Katie barely ever thought about that. Some sort of XK this or that, she wasn't cleared for that information, apparently, even though she was living it. Bureaucracy, am I right? She could, however, read a fair few other documents from the database, more than her clearance should allow, and that passed the time, to an extent. She passed her days reading bureaucratic documentation for projects she'd never be a part of. Cryogenic mammoths, cellphone ghosts, talking grapes ,God Greaze she wished she worked anywhere but here. Hell at this point she'd accept a transfer to the Department of Other if it would get her out of here.
That is if they even still existed. The Overseers were no longer Earth-side (at least not this Earth) and the VIPs were all evac-ed, even some of her sisters. She still sent in reports, so nothing had changed on that front, really, as far as she knew. Though she hadn't heard from her bosses for a while. Maybe she should check her emails? It'd been a while since she had, she was never very good at making that a habit.
Just as she was about to do that, however, a Customer came. With their gray skin sloughing off of the bone, fungal like growths engorging their left ear and stomach, a hideous Hawaiian pattern dress shirt and sunglasses, they looked like any other customer Katie could recall dealing with. With squirming meat in hand, glacially slowly, the being asked for a fork. They hadn't purchased anything from Greazeburger, but, Katie supposed, it would be easier to just grab a bag of cutlery than it would be to tell them no, it's what her boss Assistant Manager Gene typically did and Assistant Manager Irene before him (she'd try to send Maria, but she had already vanished). Since they were out of cutlery in the front, Katie ventured behind back into the bowels of Greazeburger.
As she entered the Hallway of the Damned her nose scrunched up, and she had to suppress a gag reflex from the stink of the trash and debris emanating from the dumpster cart. The bastard cooks had again filled it with trash juice and loose food items, in addition to their usual trash bags. Oh, and look, a severed mandible on top, charming. The mechanical whirring of the bleeding refrigerators didn't help matters. Katie passed the first four occupied kitchens before slithering in to Kitchen Five, which, as usual, was unoccupied (the Guardian was likely out for a bathroom break or a smoke). Feeling though the sizzling void she found purchase on crude plastic which she knew to be the silverware. Re-entering the hallway she passed and was greeted by Joe from Kitchen 2, who offered her a bottle of Cherry Concentrate. Exiting the yawning abyss, prizes in hand, Katie presented the tool to the being who proceeded to groan out a "Thank you sir" before devouring their prey which squelched and screamed. Katie forced a smile and let herself imagine the feeling of their neck in her hands, whispering "not a sir" under her breath. Katie wished she'd have put on some makeup, or some nail polish, she certainly had had time in the morning. But she never did think about these things until it was much too late. This was what got her into shitty situations constantly, which she never could get out of. She was sick of people misgendering her, and sometimes even getting her species wrong. She had pills that were supposed to help with that, make her appear more like the human female she was. Well, she was supposed to have pills for it, but her inattention, her procrastination, her fear of doing such things had meant she didn't do the proper tests to get more pills sent her way, and now it would be months before she had them again. Their lack left her feeling off kilter, floaty, tired, distant, and with one mother of a headache. Less human. She took a sip of cherry concentrate and set the bottle in the void beneath the counter. She gazed at her telephone screen again, before another Customer walked up to the counter screen, this time, actually desiring to order. As he ineffectively pawed at the device in a feeble attempt to purchase sustenance, Katie took pity, offering aid. The being ordered nourishment, chattering with joy at receiving the perpetual five dollar off coupon. Katie then shooed them away with a promise of an omen when their food was birthed.
Katie began to pace, there was only so much she could do on her phone, and she didn't want to remain out of view or the Eye too long lest she gain the ire of the true Manager. She had once been told by her former Assistant Manager Irene that Management couldn't tell sporadic movement from work, and so got in the habit of doing so every few minutes within clear view of the Eye. She missed Irene. Irene never misgendered her, and in fact helped to build Katie's confidence to correct others. She was like a mother to Katie at a time Katie didn't really feel like she had a family, or, well, anyone. But business was bad (probably because the Earth was in the midst of an apocalypse, but what did she know) and Irene took the blame. One day the Manager Kimberly swooped out of the air with her painted talons and her laser eyes and Fired Irene, who went out with a chortle and a peace sign. Shortly after Gene appeared as if he had always been there. Katie suspected he was a Greaze clone, but it could be hard to tell in this line of work. She had never had concerns about Irene, in the end, she was as human as they came. Maria gave her some chocolates on Katie's behalf, and ferried back a message, kind but talking down to her all the same.
As she ceased her reminiscing and came back to the present she noticed the hands had wandered through the office supplies, as she meandered past, and they were currently balling pieces of tape in her hands and dropping them on the ground in a sort one dimensional breadcrumb trail. She'd have to pick it up later, she knew. She sighed. For a moment she stopped and watched the people beyond her stage. Fighting, chatting, eating, fucking, dying. Living. She hated them, she wished she could be them. She noticed her left boot was untied. She tied it, the right boot was too big.
The screeching of steel on steel could be heard as from the maws of the great and terrible machine appeared buckets of chorizo stew sloshing with greaze, the Customer's order. Katie sent them an omen, but they were already here, the order was gone.
Her coworkers gibbered away as usual, speaking in tongues not for the ears of mortals, and Katie died a little more inside, losing that additional bit of human connection. She hadn't even noticed they were there. In anticipation of more boredom, Katie requested to go to the restroom, which was approved. She jogged through the Hallway and exited out the other side into the grocery store, before entering the Employees Only double doors which led to the employee restrooms. The employee restrooms were gross, but at least they were gender neutral and mostly mundane. She went back to work. Her left shoe was untied, she didn't fix it.
Not long after (what is time?) desperate for a task, she heard a siren for a Code Green. Time to take out the Trash. There wasn't much, but it was best to respond rather than to pray to the Gods for access to the Dumpster later on. She speedily acquired the sacrificial greaze and plastic from the kitchens. Exploring every fold of their receptacles, sussing out every inch of treasure. She put them in her cart, which now engorged prepared to follow her to the back. Katie and the cart dodged the many obstacles and corpses on the way to the Back, passing the same double doors deeper into the cavernous tunnels, tinkled by the plastic entrails hanging from the ceiling. She arrived late, forced to wait in line behind the dead men with their rotting organ-grinders, before losing patience and squeezing past them and their bone crusher.
Katie launched bag after bag into the dumpster, fancying herself a shotput thrower Olympic athlete, until, inevitably, a bag tore. Unbaptized by the greaze and the child blood another woman might have weeped, Katie wished she would have. But she gazed at her pants and they were dry, and her gloves were only skin after all. So she went back up and she tied her left boot, her right toenails hurting.
She paced, she walked, she chewed her hair, she read until she felt she didn't exist anymore. She requested a ten minute break, it was accepted. She sat down she stood up, the break was over. Coworkers passed and spoke to her, she didn't remember what they said in her hollow mind. She took a swig of cherry concentrate, and spat it out by mistake tasting sweet bile and spaghetti. A chef from Kitchen 4 told her there were no more Mr. Greazeburgers, they were out of buns. She tried to sell those beyond on the restaurant, on the concept. They feigned understanding and kept walking. She gazed at them lustfully, not in a manner befitting a Greazeburger employee, she never looked them in the eyes, frightened she might see herself in them.
The conveyor spat out another order, must have been for delivery. Katie stapled the onion rings closed, nobody would pick them up. The corporate phone rang, Katie answered : "Hello, Greazeburger Earth, how can I help you?". There was no reply. She hung up. She gazed into the void, where mortal minds were not meant to see, her soul goes up in smoke. The corporate phone rang, Katie answered: "Hello, Greazeburger Earth, how can I help you". The voice on the other end repeated it back to her. She hung up. More food is birthed by the kitchens, a labor of love, Katie had forgotten the Customers. Time for lunch.
She searched for her wayward coworker, finding her in the jaws of the bunless beast of Kitchen 4. They returned to the front. A to go driver picked up the final Mr. Greazeburger, the sound of childlike sobs is heard. Katie fumbled her claws and clocked out. She'll have to report this to Management to get the time sheet corrected. Katie with her gnashing teeth quickly devoured her raw fish and liquid sugar, her mind repairing itself as her body reeled from the sudden fulfillment of its needs. Katie becomes more like herself. She listens to a song over the intercom, a good one for a change. Katie then regurgitates the food to taste it again. Back to work.
As she meets with her dear coworker Maria once again, seen chatting joyously with a Customer, Katie clocks back in. It is nearly time for Maria to go home, it won't be for Katie for many more hours. Then, though it may seem impossible, the real lull began.
The absence grew, consuming the space between people and unpeople alike. The void gazes back at the husk that was Katie, and takes root, filling her with Greaze and regret. Static blared through the once lively speakers of the store. Line-cooks doze around the fires of their stove-tops dreaming of Socratic dialogues and noble pursuits. A spider builds its home between the abandoned food sacks. More emerge, birthed into a world that never wanted them, never cared. Katie stapled shut their mouths to stifle their wails. Katie sprints to and fro desperately making motions with her hands, playing with the forbidden office items she should be worshiping. The stapler bites her, she leaks pink light. She gulped the cherry concentrate like a dying man might gasp for air. The syrup stuck to the bottom of the bottle, no matter how it was tilted, refusing to embrace her. Katie thinking she heard the conveyor, or the phone, dropped the bottle, but she had just imagined it .
Katie stopped and wondered, not for the first time, why she was made this way, because she was made this way. Why was her mind made to leak out information and have trouble focusing on even the most important things. Why did her body move so much, why did it feel so sluggish why did it feel so wrong, why was it made wrong. She didn't have the clearance to know, or even ask. Her sisters might tell her, but she had let them all drift away, never keeping in touch. They were her friends, her family, these other lives of hers, and she let them go. Oh how she envied them, these better lives that, but for a roll of the dice could have been hers. They never understood her, never tried to. Always the forgotten sister, never the favorite. Even Eight, so much like her, her younger sister, never truly did. The slacker got to parade around the Foundation on some sort of journey of self discovery while Katie worked for a living. Oh how she envied her, oh how she hated her. They had the same problems, really, the difference was Eight had hers recognized, she had help, support, Five didn't. She couldn't help but feel like her clone-mother, would be disappointed in her. Then she felt black bile in her throat, and was back to the present.
Katie idly wondered if the pills would have helped her remain focused on the present. Or could it be Greazeburger, with its mind-numbing sameness, day after day nothingness that was doing her in. The apocalypse? Katie thought to wrote this down on her Foundation device, then realized she already had. Screaming internally she sent her notes to her sisters, to her bosses, to the Foundation, claiming she feared memetic tampering, there was no response. Her phone began to die, her one friend in this world, and she had no way to charge it. She baptized it in Greaze and prayed for a Resurrection. The Greaze had never let her down, the Greaze had never forgotten her. The corporate telephone whispered sweet nothings into her ear in her own voice, the voice of her sisters. She recalled all the times she felt warm and safe with Gene, Maria, Joe and all the others. Sweet moments in a Greaze family album. She wasn't fooled.
She might not be neurotypical, she might not even be human, but she wasn't stupid. Foundation or Greazeburger, corporations are all the same. They don't care about you, they care about money, they care about power, they care about control, and about keeping those things. Yes she'd had some good times with Greazeburger and its people, with the Foundation, but when push came to shove she was thrown out into the cold just like any other rube, and another cog took her place in the machine of capitalism. But hey, it's a living. She picked up the tape she thoughtlessly threw on the ground earlier in the day, and started to close up shop. She took out the trash, throwing away the leftover spaghetti (after munching on it a little). Didn't even need to pray too hard for once, she called and the doors opened. She turned off the lights and went to her car, and then drove home. VKTM played a radio ad for Greazeburger. Tired from a hard day of hardly working, Katie pulled out her laptop and typed up her formal report. After a while, she gave up, there wasn't terribly much to write about. Instead she went back to the television series she watching earlier today. Her dead eyes watched television from a dead world, and she was happy, for now.
Later, she would sleep, and then wake up to live the day anew, never getting any closer to solving the mysteries of the apocalypse, never reconnecting with her sisters, never receiving more pills, never receiving a transfer.
Well, never say never, there's always the Weekend* after all.
*Greazeburger Incorporated does not believe in weekends.
rating: +28+–x


The members of a feminist group turned into pigs, the office of a political party occupied by screaming apes, all the participants in a religious ceremony lobotomized without a single drop of blood being spilled. Faced with the horror encountered on each occasion, Marw couldn't stop wondering what the point of what he was witnessing was. What the culprit of these insane acts was up to and what was the meaning of the flyers found at each site, sometimes stained and partially destroyed but always filled with meaningless scribbles. And even more, what would be the next step of that guy.
Because, even though he was one of the best detectives in the world, he had to admit with regret that he was always one step ahead.

Afternoon on a Sunday, Baptist Church of… well, its name and location are not relevant, besides they should take care of cleaning up the place later, once I conclude my investigation - thought Marw. It had all happened during the morning, during which time the entire congregation was missing.
On that occasion Marw was lucky to arrive even before the police. The front door of the building was slightly open, so he was able to enter without any problems, being immediately his nose punished with a stench similar to a farm yard. He found in front a group of sheep, two or three dozen animals of different ages bleating frantically, confused and frightened. And with them a shocked clergyman, squatting and unable to comprehend what was in front of his eyes.
Apparently, Marw talking to him was not the best idea, since the surprise ended up overcoming the man, causing him to faint. It was at that moment when he noticed for the first time that guy, laughing loudly from the entrance of the building.
- I can't believe it, who has been my stalker and aspiring foe is a cat. A cat and even more with a hat, in the name of Darwin, this is incredible, sublime, and unheard of, hahaha. Are they so understaffed that must degrade to send a kitten in pursuit of me? - said the monkey.
Because his interlocutor was not a person but an ape, specifically a chimpanzee. Apparently, the specimen had nothing exceptional about him, except that he spoke and wore a pair of sunglasses.
After taking a deep breath and still smiling, the monkey continued:
- Now kitten tell me what you think of my art, is it true that the message conveyed by each piece is powerful and unique? Although sadly I can't consider myself an original artist, I just help others to express what's inside them.
Marw pulled back his ears and hissed with anger.
- You call this art, you sick fuck? What the hell do you mean there's a message involved? All I see is a crude joke in lousy taste, you're no better than a monkey throwing his dung at zoo visitors.
Clearly offended, the monkey replied:
- Shut up you servile pussy, you judge me and you are nothing more than a pet playing at being somebody. If it bothers you so much what I do, why don't you stop me?
Before he could finish saying those words Marw jumped right in his face, hurting him.
The struggle was brief. Although he clung fiercely to his rival, the ape ended up grabbing him, throwing him violently towards the benches, towards where the group of sheep was, after which he fled.
- My name is Pan, pussy. – was the last thing Marw heard before he was knocked unconscious.

The next few days were a time of depression for Marw. He stopped grooming and eating, and used catnip to excess, even more than the doctor would have tolerated. He felt like a failure for having acted that way and lost a valuable opportunity but anger had blinded him. At least the monkey (Pan, he corrected himself) had not acted up again, perhaps he feared being discovered again although he doubted it. In the past, he had managed to take down teams of well-trained men, with conceptual traps, and worst things, he wouldn't stop for a couple of scratches from a simple cat. The monkey only believed in what he called art and what he took as a personal mission and after meeting him personally he understood that nothing would stop him.

It was during a Furry convention that some of their attendees began to behave strangely, emitting disjointed vocalizations and moving around on four legs, as well as trying to mate with domestic animals present at the venue. When other assistants managed to immobilize them and tried to remove their costumes, they discovered that the costumes were fused to their tissues and that the fantasy features were now functional. According to witnesses, all of those affected had received flyers from a short guy in a very realistic chimpanzee costume.
They came and took the transformed subjects away, making the witnesses forget what they had seen.
Again he was one step ahead.

It's just a hunch, Marw told himself. The monkey bragged about his creativity, he never repeated himself in his plays but that was the closest public event. Besides he couldn't help thinking that the last "performance" he had done was directed at him and that it was a direct challenge. That was why he had left without the knowledge of his superiors, on his way to what he hoped would be his final confrontation.
Early in the day at a Japanese animation fans convention. When arrived he found the monkey in a ridiculous costume, consisting of a turban and a cape in addition to the ever-present sunglasses, taking a picture with a girl of about 15 years old dressed as the character of a popular series.
The girl, after thanking him for the photo, accepted a flyer that the monkey was handing out.
It was only a few seconds after reading the document that the girl began to scream and her body proportions altered, her eyes and breasts enlarging and her waist narrowing, in front of the horrified gaze of her friends.
- Hello kitty, I see you're a little early for the show. I must congratulate you for following the clues correctly and finding me, it shows that no matter how much you deny it, you are a real fan of my work…
Before he finished saying those words, Marw drew his Smith & Wesson M642 from a holster strapped to his side and shot him 5 times, taking him down.


Raddagher

More by this Author | Find Us Alive Hub

< Before This | After This >


As I walked to the entrance of the small, suburban home, I took a look at the neighborhood. It seemed average, aside from the unusual quietness. As if they knew what I was here for.
I took a deep breath, and knocked on the front door. My knuckles rasped against the cold wood.
The door swung open, and a tiny woman stood in front of me, "Ms. Lida?" I asked.
"Mrs. Lida," she corrected. "How can I help you?"
"Um, that's actually what I'm here about," I replied. A confused expression spread across her face. "Could I come inside? I think it'd be best if this was handled in private."
She pointed at the manila folder in my hand, and began to open her mouth.
"I work for the company, if that's what you're wondering."
"Oh," she sighed. "Come in, in that case."
I sat myself down in the chair, and motioned for her to sit on the couch in front of me.
"Is Vince okay?" she worriedly questioned. "Last time someone came, it was because he was in the hospital." She sat nervously, shifting her weight every few seconds.
"About that. Ma'am… your husband passed in the line of duty, three days ago."
She stared back at me, her eyes wide, her mouth agape. She brought her hand up, clutching her chest.
"No- no… he told me he wasn't doing anything dangerous anymore. He told me he was done with that," she attempted to inform me.
I looked at her apologetically, "I'm sorry, Ms. Lida. He died saving the lives of others."
"Oh god," she uttered, her voice cracking. She brought her glare down to the floor, and crossed her arms, embracing herself.
"Vince was a great man. He helped out a lot of people, and- let's just say he's definitely done some good things."
A few tears rolled down the side of her nose, and she sniffled, attempting to compose herself, "Tha- thank you," she told me. "Did you- did- were you friends with him?" The woman struggled to speak, her voice still breaking.
"I was. I served with him in several missions. He, uh, saved my life at least a few times."
She nodded, and looked up at me. The tears slowed, but her voice continued to break as she asked, "Can I at least… know how he passed?"
I shook my head, "I'm sorry, but no. All I can tell you is that he… sacrificed his life to save a lot of others."
The tears started flowing again, much heavier than before, dripping off her face and onto her shirt, "He died doing what he always said he would."
I looked down for a moment to compose myself, before straightening my glasses and opening the folder, "If you wouldn't mind, he had a note for me to give to you after his passing. He requesting I read it aloud, if that's alright with you."
She nodded again, and I began reading.

I'm writing this in case I'm gone tomorrow.
I know you don't know a lot about what I do for work. But you know its dangerous. And important. I sacrificed my life for the greater good- but that doesn't matter.
What does matter, is that you and Erica will be taken care of. The man you're talking to works for the Foundation (the people I work for). He's there to deliver some of my things, talk to you about what happened. If it isn't all covered in red tape and black ink, anyway. And he'll give you the insurance policy. It's a lot of money, and it'll mean you and Erica will be taken care of for the rest of your lives.
Tell Erica I'm sorry I won't be there to watch her grow up, or see her learn to drive, or be there to threaten her first boyfriend. And tell her I love her. But, I'm also sorry to you. Sorry I won't be there to grow old with you, or care for you. I'm sorry you'll have to find someone else to be with you, instead of your "dream" man, as you said. I wish I had more time with you.
I'm sorry for so many things. Maybe I should've quit this job when I met you. But its too important to be left without people filling it.
Just know I'm never far away, and I'll always look out for you. Wherever I am. And when the sun finally burns out at the end of days, I'll be here, waiting for you.
I love you, honey.

Like a waterfall from her eyes, tears began freely falling. A wet spot appeared on the carpet in front of her.
"I apologize there isn't much I can do for you. This is never an easy thing, but if it helps, I have the things he mentioned in the note." I slid a few papers out of the folder, and passed them to her.
"This is the insurance policy he spoke about. Its worth… quite a bit of money," I said, assuredly. "You can take a moment to read it, if you'd like."
She shifted her gaze from the papers to me, "What about his stuff? It said you'd have some of it." She seemingly tried to fight back her tears, but was failing.
"Yes, its in the back of my car," I asserted, pointing to the door behind me. "If you'd like, we could go gather the boxes?"
"I'd like that very much… there aren't many of his things around here anymore. He was never home too often," she told me, her voice full of misery.
I began standing up, and she followed suite, "That's unfortunately part of the job, usually… God knows I need to go home soon."
She appeared to gather herself, attempting to stop the tears that continued to flow, before saying, "I get it… I know his- all of your jobs are important. He always told me, 'If something weird, and important happens, it was probably us.'"
As she finished speaking, we stepped out into the cool fall air and began bringing in the four boxes. They were filled mostly with random items- clothing, tools, travel nick-nacks from dozens of different places, and other assorted objects. Each time she brought one inside, she rustled through it with a hopeful look, and each time she finished with a disappointed look.
"I believe I covered everything, so if you don't have any questions for me, I'll leave you. Again, I'm sorry for your loss. Vince really was a great man," I announced as I set the last box down.
She sighed, "I don't have any… but thank you, for everything." A final tear fell down her face.
"You're welcome. I'm sorry I can't do much to comfort or help you, besides give you his stuff and the insurance policy. Our line of work is unfortunately pretty secretive."
"I understand," she said bitterly.
"Oh, and if you are confused or need anything, feel free to call me. Losing someone is especially difficult when they work for the Foundation." I reached into my pocket, and pulled out a business card for 'Secure Communication Products'.
"Thank you." I nodded, and exited the house.
The neighborhood seemed to be just as hushed before. The only noise aside from the rustling of the winds and leaves was my car engine, and the dial tone of my phone.
"What's up, Ed?" the man on the other end asked.
"She thinks you're dead, Vince."
He sighed back to me, "So… there we go. No going back now, we've started the fucked up deeds for this whole shit show."
"Yeah. Definitely one of the more fucked up things I've done in the Foundation. But uh, how'd it go with Octavia?" I asked, attempting to maintain my composure.
"I'll be honest with you, bud, not good. I don't think she's in a good place right now," he responded. I became quiet for a moment, a tear rolling down my face.
"Fuck… that really just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about this whole situation. But like the director said, this whole thing is big, a lot bigger than us and our families. Tau-10 is gonna be bigger than all of us."
"Damn, yeah, I guess." He paused for a moment and sniffled, as if crying. "You ever think we should've left this whole thing behind us?"
"Like you said in the note, someone has to do it. Even if it means leaving it all behind."
"It just hurts… to leave everything behind, ya know?" he said, before staying silent for several seconds. He sniffled again, before following up with, "But this whole mission, operation, whatever- it'll sure as hell be important enough by the time we're done."
"I know what you mean. The Foundation is… somewhere you don't leave without some kind of pain."
"Yeah… thanks, Ed. For doing this, and sticking with me. I'll see you back at the site."
"Its our job. See you at the site, Vince."
It sounded as if tears dripped onto the phone, and I could hear the faint sound of crying in the background.
Click.


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Info

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SCP-825-KO-1 Rejection Notice
Translator: fluxman
Original Article: http://scpko.wikidot.com/scp-825-ko-1

★

Rejection Notice

To the Director of Site-27K1
…
You are fine. The reactions you've shown are a perfect example of humanity. On the contrary, you are most human for you feel that way.
We know they are human too: humans that pursue happiness, that drown in sorrow, that can burn every bit of passion one has for love. We assume you requested amnestics because you know that painfully well, too.
Mr Hwang-Bo, we cannot amnesticise you, as long as you are an administrator. However horrible the Foundation can be, the most humane should take lead, precisely for that reason. The bleak, barren system is only worth whatever "Justice" the Foundation operates for, because us, us compassionate enough to weep for the worst convicts on death row, hold it. You must bear the burden of obvious evil, for it is the way for the fallen, and will-be-fallen, the way for the greater good.
Suffer from the deepest, most dreadful nightmares, toss yourself in a swamp of lament, and wail. The most arduous, challenging days, then seasons will pile behind you, dulling your senses, and then and only then will you not feel the pain when you force the herd of poor unfortunate souls into the test chamber.
We will reach out to you when you truly notice yourself in such a situation. We can rekindle your embers of guilt whenever you desire. There are plenty of drugs of that kind.
…

Footnotes
1. Deleted Account.


A fragment of expunged video data.

Agent ██ ██: Hey! New guy!
Agent Luthor Chameleon: Huh? I-I don't know a-anything about the GOC!
Agent ██ ██: What? I was going to get you a position at research because you're doing a good job.
Agent Luthor Chameleon: Uh… Oh, yeah, sure.

Director ███ █: Hey, new guy!
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: [Waking up] This-this is agent Chameleon of the PHYSICS dep… Huh? No, it's not what-
Director ███ █: You still in your dreams, rookie? You're getting a promotion, boy.
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: …Wait, already?

Researcher ██ █: Wow, you're a Class-B already?
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: Um… Yeah.
Researcher ██ █: Man, I envy you. Don't forget me! We first started our jobs on the same day, remember?
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: Uh, sure…
[Researcher ██ █ leaves]
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: Shit… I want to go home… When's my evac…
[Video data unretrievable. Sobbing continues for █ minutes, then a voice.]
Unidentifiable: Fuck it, I'm telling everything.

Dr. Charles Anne-Borough: About your GOC case…
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: [With a wide grin] Yes, sir? Oh… About that, I'll be honest; I'm actually a-
Dr. Charles Anne-Borough: Your research worked on the GOC, and we've won. So, you're promoted.
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: ….What?

O5-8: Thanks to your exploits against the GOC and [DATA UNRETRIEVABLE], you are now appointed the Director of Site-2257.
Researcher Luthor Chameleon: [Faints]
O5-8: Woah, this pal must have been too happy.

O5-1: "The Silent".
Male, European, French descent. Appears to be about 45 years old. Only a fragment of information that he used to be a Foundation researcher remains. All other information is expunged.
He frequently shows up on official situations, but rarely talks. He always expresses signs of discomfort or fear. Reports show that this is an expression of the boredom to our reality. If this is the case, those expressions are the clearest expression of emotion that he has ever made.
No one knows if he is an anomalous entity, a regular person, or an enhanced human. He is the most secluded out of all the O5 council members.

+

O5-3: Well, O-O5-1, but this is…
O5-1: What was that?
O5-3: Eek! N-n-n-nothing, sir. I must have made a mistake…
[Some time after the Council meeting is over]
O5-1: …Fuck… I'm changing my underwear…


Nexus #: Nx-14
Civilian Designation: Hoiohiña

Area Class: Dunwich
Population: 200,0001

Nexus Interaction Protocol: Due to its geographical location and anomalous properties, no additional cover-up is necessary. Contact with Nx-14 will be carried out through Site-14, respecting the agreements with the Nexus' native population. Furthermore, Site-14 will be in charge of monitoring any kind of instability and/or abnormality originating from Nx-14.
Site-14 was built at the entrance to a cave system in the Guiana Shield, providing the Foundation's only authorized access point to Nx-14. Expedition schedules are as follows and entry to Nx-14 is prohibited apart from these dates, unless otherwise noted:

03/01/2014
15/03/2014
30/10/2014

Expeditions are still being organized for upcoming years. Any attempt external to the Foundation to make contact with Nx-14 must be prevented, and its inhabitants must be notified.
Containment Facility: Site-14.

Figure 1. Border of the Guiana Shield marked in red.

Description: Nx-14 is the designation given to various zones of the lithosphere beneath the Guiana Shield. The closest documented zone to the surface is located 40 km underground, being the first to be studied by the Foundation. Nx-14 runs for several kilometers in the lithosphere2and is delimited by the Mohorovičić discontinuity, with several isolated zones that are not necessarily connected in a conventional way. Due to the depth and additional anomalous measurements of Nx-14, access is only possible with the help its native population.
Nx-14 comprises several ecosystems inhabited mainly by a Muridae3 species, named Rattus abissos. or its common name, "abyssal rodents"; they possess the following autapomorphies that distinguish them from other known rodent species: intelligence and opposable thumbs on their forelimbs. Other characteristics are the presence of sexual dimorphism, with males being larger than females, and having more colorful fur; a prehensile tail4 and the ability to learn thaumaturgy5.
The political organization of Rattus abissos is based on a group called "Attitiudi Hana", which consists of 8 individuals (4 males and 4 females) for each large inhabited area, who are responsible for making decisions and maintaining order as well as compliance with certain laws, such as regulating transportation of individuals between inhabited areas. Additionally, they have a population control defined by mating seasons throughout the year. It has not been possible to confirm all the major populated areas, but it has been indicated that there are 8 total states.
Research on the biological aspects of Nx-14 and its inhabitants is being carried out by Dr. Pedro Estrada from the Biology Department. After the initial studies, it has been proposed to extend the research to different departments in order to understand in greater depth various aspects of Nx-14.

Addenda

Summary
Research into R. Abissos¸ also called "abyssal rodents", began in the mid-twentieth century, following the Foundation's first attempts to communicate with Nx-14. Although we knew of their existence, it was not until the end of the 1990s that we were able to make contact with their inhabitants, allowing us to learn about different aspects of this species native to the lithosphere of the Guiana Shield.
In 2013 an agreement was reached whereby I would be allowed to travel to Nx-14's areas accompanied by a local, named Norvelio. This study focused on understanding Nx-14's ecosystem in order to perform a threat assessment and analysis of future collaborations with its inhabitants. Research was mainly done regarding their agricultural methods, culture and history.
—Dr. Pedro Estrada, Department of Biology Chair - Ecosystems and Intelligent Species Research.

First direct contact with inhabitants of Nx-14
After finishing construction of Site-14, we went into a system of caves until we came across a stone inscription made by the abyssal rodents. As we came into contact with it, several cracks appeared in the cave walls, transporting us directly to the first area of Nx-14. Our sensors and the Checkpoint indicated that we had descended approximately 40 km instantaneously. It was not necessary to wear special suits due to the measurements collected by drones, which showed no difference between the average environmental characteristics of the surface compared to Nx-14.
The first ones to greet us were a group of three rodents about the size of a person. We could hear several squeaks coming from this group, until one of them stood in front of us and seemed to be able to communicate through its squeaks. He explained to us that he knew a method to communicate with any being that had a sensory system based on mechanical waves, although he still produced squeaks like the other rodents in the group, in our minds we could hear his voice clearly; it was subsequently discovered that in the video records he was only heard with a human voice.

Log (03/01/2014) – First encounter

Access Granted

Location: Entrance to the first area of Nx-14 - "Jahuakudahana"
Date: 03/01/2014
Mobile Task Force: MTF Zeta-9 ("Mole Rats"); members: Z-9 Juárez and Z-9 Maximiliano
Assigned Department: Department of Biology; member: Pedro Estrada (P. Estrada).

Foreword: Among the 3 rodents involved, only one is able to communicate with us, identifying himself as "Norvelio". This member of the species is believed to have different knowledge and anomalous abilities; Norvelio is a male specimen, with white fur and brown spots, his tail has several tattoos and glyphs. The other two rodents are smaller, with gray fur, and carry lamps that emit a green light capable of illuminating the cave. On the ceiling were several geometrical shapes in symmetrical patterns of green and blue colors.

(Begin Log)
Norvelio: After all this time, we can finally meet. As far as I can see, we both came prepared in case it was necessary to confront each other, didn't we?

(Norvelio points his tail at the two armed agents and the other two rodents, who did not appear to have any kind of weapon; then he lets out a short, sharp laugh..)
Norvelio: Thank goodness it's not that way, I'm too old of a rat to get into any fights. Forgive my enthusiasm, as I have omitted the introductions. I am Norvelio, from the area closest to the surface. Unfortunately my companions cannot introduce themselves…. Nor would they like to, they still have their doubts about your species, if that is not evident by their faces.
Z-9 Maximiliano: Is that rat speaking English?
Norvelio: Ahem, I can understand you as well. And not exactly, you could say I'm a kind of anthropologist, but my method of communication is a bit complex to explain, summing up in a conversion of my own sounds to your language. I don't speak any human language, but all humans can understand me… (Pause.) I'm already getting away from the main topic, it is of my interest to meet the first members of the Foundation who came to meet our species, you know, to meet the people behind those messages in the last years.
P. Estrada: We are a team of three members, and I am a researcher of anomalous species-
Norvelio: Forgive me for interrupting, but we can spare the titles on this occasion. Your organization has already provided us with that information, and that is why you were accepted in our lands. Only a casual introduction is necessary, you know, for a better communication.
P. Estrada: Well, if that's all, I'm Pedro Estrada and this is my research team.
Z-9 Juárez: My name is Juárez and it is amazing to see you first-hand.
Z-9 Maximiliano: I am Maximiliano, and I did not expect this to be so casual.
Norvelio: Oh, it's no casual thing at all. The amount of agreements and messages between my command and yours was a headache for all these years. So I would prefer to take this opportunity more calmly. Anyway, once finished with the introductions, your presence is no longer necessary, colleagues.
(The other two rodents look at Norvelio and produce a unison shriek, then clap their hands and an armor of crystalline characteristics appears on their skin, partially covering their bodies. After that, they proceed to burrow and disappear into the ground without leaving any marks.)
Norvelio: They are really rather heartless and straightforward. Well then, we can continue, follow me, the path to our destination is this way. Our small entrance is not fair to the view that awaits us.
(Norvelio turns around and places his hands on the floor, wagging his tail in a circular pattern, as the geometric shapes on the ceiling begin to light up and spread across the walls of the cave. An opening is made in front of Norvelio, revealing a panorama of the area.)
(At first sight a large area can be seen delimited by the roof of a cave full of stalactites, which are covered with minerals capable of illuminating the different structures built by the abyssal rodents. Rivers of green magma can be seen flowing around the periphery of the area, flowing calmly. There is also a small lake in the center, where small boats can be found.)
Norvelio: I am sorry if this is the most I can offer you at this time. First of all, the agreements only allow me to show you one of our recently built cities. Secondly, it is not one of the more developed areas, for the same reason, so it still looks somewhat rustic.
P. Estrada: That is not a problem, we had already been warned about the type of interaction and the limitations of our expedition. Discussions are still ongoing to allow more freedom for us.
Z-9 Juárez: Besides having a very good view of the city from this point, although very restricted.
Z-9 Maximiliano: After all, this is a very basic mission, isn't it? We just came to confirm your lack of hostility and verify the parameters of the site. As far as I am concerned, Estrada, Juárez and I will make accurate measurements with our equipment in this place. It will take us between 30 minutes and an hour. You might want to talk further with this local resident.
Norvelio: I wish you luck with your measurements, although it is common to have the same environmental and atmospheric conditions that you are used to. We are very similar organisms to some extent.
(Z-9 Juárez and Z-9 Maximiliano set up the measuring and scanning equipment in the background. Norvelio stays with P. Estrada.)
P. Estrada: So, Norvelio, you are not a common member of your species, right? Speaking of authority and capabilities.
Norvelio: Just like you are not just any member of yours. Not anyone can stand in front of an opportunity like this without making mistakes. But you're right, this old rodent's road to get to this point has been long and complicated.
P. Estrada: I figured, mostly because of all those tattoos on your tail, although it's not my specialty, I can recognize your thaumaturgical origins. Speaking of origins, you mentioned earlier that we are similar, what exactly were you referring to?
Norvelio: I see that we have begun with the fundamental questions. Let's start with the "intelligence" of our species, it is clearly analogous, there is no common ancestor among our species to whom it was a feature. Even so, it opened doors for us and broke the limitations imposed by instinct. This simple conversation is not a coincidence, two evolutionary paths to the same answer.
P. Estrada: While that explains some of your behavior and accomplishments, it still doesn't cover why you went so deep into our planet. Could only advanced magic have accomplished something like this?
Norvelio: By no means. Several factors have brought us this far. On the tactical side, the continental shields are a perfect choice because of their low orogenic activity - billions of years and these rock plates remain in one piece. Moving on to a more personal section, what is the reason for your visit or interest in this place? And don't tell me it's just a matter of work, your sharp look gives it away.
P. Estrada: In a world where most anomalous organisms tend to be hostile, it is a relief to find a more benevolent one. Deep down, my passion is to learn about the ecosystems of this nexus, as well as some unique aspects of its species.
Norvelio: A spirit of inquiry, sounds perfect to me. While your colleagues finish their task, you can take more insights about the city from here. Take a look.
(Norvelio takes a piece of glass from a wall, and with his fingernails he makes a small mark on the material.)
Norvelio: I have given properties of a magnifying glass to this small mineral. Now it has a capacity similar to a pair of binoculars and will allow you to see the city in a better way.
(During the next 38 minutes the team performs their tasks. Norvelio is seen eating some minerals from the cave during this period of time.)
Z-9 Maximiliano: Well, we have finished with our measurements and now have the required samples. It's time for us to go back to the surface.
Norvelio: That was quick. I will then arrange your return trip. Hope to see you again in a few months.
P. Estrada: Same here, Norvelio. Thank you for welcoming us to your nexus.
Norvelio: Gratitude goes to you, for coming in peace and harmony..
(End Log)

Paraminerals
One of the pillars of the culture of R. Abissos focuses on the handling of minerals and mineraloids by using thaumaturgy, this being called paramineralogy. The most common way of transforming common minerals into an anomalous state is through polymorphism and polymorphic phases giving them different properties.
While polymorphic phases depend on temperature and pressure, a third factor is involved in this process, whereby the molecular structure of the mineral must first be modified in a specific way before a certain amount of EVE is applied to it. If the process is carried out correctly, the mineral will gain anomalous properties ranging from increased hardness and luster to ectoentropic and metamorphic capabilities, among others. Its main use is in clothing, tools and foodstuffs.

Log (15/03/2014) – Second encounter

Access Granted

Location: First area of Nx-14 - Minerals Section
Date: 15/03/2014
Assigned Department: Department of Biology; member: Pedro Estrada (P. Estrada).

Foreword: Once past the first section, Dr. Estrada and Norvelio walked through a cave, illuminated by blue and yellow crystals on its walls, for 15 minutes until they reached a more open place where several giant minerals in different patterns (tabular, prismatic, acicular, botroidal) are found, some glowing on their own while others reflect light.

(Begin Log)
Norvelio: What do you think of this place? Surely it must remind you of some kind of mine or a similar place. It is one of my personal work places, here I dedicate myself to create new paraminerals.

P. Estrada: It certainly looks like a mine, although all those crystals have some very extravagant shapes that I had not seen before. And how is it possible to have such an intense glow coming from some crystals? Where do they get the energy for it?
Norvelio: There are two ways to accomplish this. As you may know, some organisms are bioluminescent, such as protists, so you just have to find a way to introduce them into the crystal and then they simply feed on small portions of the crystal. In the end, the light produced is amplified by the properties of the crystal. Remember the lamps from last time? That's how they work. Sure, I'm oversimplifying and skipping over certain aspects, but you can take some samples with you to analyze.

P. Estrada: That would be very kind of you, thank you. And… What's the second way?
Norvelio: I was just waiting for that question, although there is no better way to demonstrate it than with an example. (Norvelio picks up a small crystal from the floor with his tail.) One of the most plentiful minerals on the planet and very simple at first glance, quartz. Now if I may, give me a few moments to give it a stellar glow.
(Norvelio moves his tail in a circular pattern at different speeds for 3 minutes. After that, he places the quartz in his hands and scratches the crystal with his fingernail to trace a geometric pattern, which suddenly disappears once it is completed.)
Norvelio: And in three, two, one… (Some kind of high-pitched squeak is heard; the quartz begins to emit a white light.) And that's the second way. It's a little less complex process depending on your point of view. Although unfortunately not everyone has the ability to handle life energy at that level.
P. Estrada: An interesting skill in any case, and what other applications have these paraminerals been used for?
Norvelio: Oh, it is quite a business due to the difficulty of finding mineral casters. There are those who spend their lives inventing and innovating the manipulation of the visible spectrum. I just showed you the simplest alteration of all. With enough knowledge and practice you can create true wonders, such as projection of entire images, even with sound! And remember, that's just the visual side, there are many more, such as food, clothing, entertainment and so on.
P. Estrada: And since when do you all use this knowledge? I suppose that if it's something very old it must be very developed..
Norvelio: It has been a long time, but like any scientific aspect, we have come to stagnate in certain limitations. For example, 5 years ago the idea of a paramineral capable of opening portals to transport you from one area to another in an instant was unthinkable. Yes, the process is still being refined, but nothing serious has happened. That's one of my current works, a bit more complicated per se… And when I say a bit, it's actually a lot.
P. Estrada: And why is that? Apparently you've been trying a lot of different base minerals.
Norvelio: For now it will be a surprise, but be sure you will know the answer in the future. In the meantime, wouldn't you like to try to practice with simple things?
P. Estrada: I appreciate the invitation, but I must decline. I have no practical knowledge in the use of thaumaturgy and I doubt I have the time or resources to change that.
Norvelio: Oh, that's a shame. If at any time you change your mind, don't hesitate to let me know..
P. Estrada: Thanks once again. One last fundamental doubt about these paraminerals, do they also have applications in the weaponry field?
Norvelio: A part of me would like to answer you with a definitive "no". I mean, you can split an atom in half and with that you can deal with most problems. Even so, this art has also been stained with the presence of war, yes. But can anyone blame us? Our world is not one of complete peace and if we were to fall behind, we would only be left with the path of extinction. I apologize for not being so accurate with my answer, I just wish it were different.
P. Estrada: I see no need to apologize. And I thank you for this opportunity to know a little of this aspect of your people, it has left me surprised.
Norvelio: The pleasure has been mine. Remember, feel free to come down and practice if you wish, it never hurts to learn a new skill that could be extremely useful.
(End Log)

Agricultural Biotaumaturgy

Figure 2. Crop pattern.

Due to the lack of the main source of energy in terrestrial ecosystems —sunlight-—, abyssal rodents use advanced geothermal energy sources, canalizing and transmitting heat through patterns such as the one presented in Figure 2. Also, the main crops are macroscopic fungi belonging to the Basidiomycota division; these fungi have been modified to survive and fulfill their life cycle solely based on the heat provided by geothermal energy, without the need to resort to other food sources. However, they can still fulfill their degradative function.
Additionally, the crop pattern can be altered to modify the biological structure of the fungi, being able to be transmuted into different minerals containing large amounts of EVE. R. Abissos does not have the innate ability to degrade inorganic compounds through their digestive system, this ability is possible due to reciprocal relationships with different prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) native at that level of the lithosphere. These prokaryotes are found in the digestive tract of R. Abissos. These microorganisms are anomalous, since they can convert heat into EVE through yet unknown metabolic pathways, thus being able to degrade certain inorganic compounds.

Log (30/10/2014) – Third encounter

Access Granted

Location: First area - Fungal crop section of Nx-14
Date: 30/10/2014
Assigned Department: Department of Biology; member: Pedro Estrada (P. Estrada).

Foreword: Once past the mining area visited in the 15/03/2014 expedition, a path leading to irregular steps is found, further down, it is possible to observe the growth of mushrooms of various colors, and mold. It is worth noting the size of these mushrooms being over 3 meters high in some cases.

(Begin Log)
Norvelio: So, how have you been doing with the analysis of the minerals you collected last time? I'm sure that's been keeping you a bit busy.
P. Estrada: We have handed the samples to several departments, and while it is possible to understand the method used for the modifications and we can replicate it to some extent, we still don't understand the ease with which you did it.
Norvelio: You are on the right track, that's the important thing. Leaving that issue aside, how do you like the view in front of your eyes?
P. Estrada: Are these really mushrooms? Their shapes are similar to some surface species, but their colors, and especially their sizes, are very different. How is it possible for them to grow so much in an environment devoid of nutrient-rich soil?
Norvelio: At first glance that's true, but look under your feet, don't you notice something different?
(Norvelio uses his tail to remove some soil, revealing jade-colored lines with a bit of a shine.)
Norvelio: That right there is only a small part of the whole pattern that sustains fungi.
P. Estrada: So these mushrooms are still sustained by "magic"? I thought you had found a less eccentric way for your agricultural activities.
Norvelio: And you are correct in that, the rootstock is indeed a thaumaturgic work, but not to supply them in that way. It only serves to canalize the geothermal energy of the Earth and help the fungal cells. Depending on the skill of the farmer a variety of fungi can be created, with different functions. I've seen that your gaze has landed on those crystals sticking out of the fungus' "hat".
P. Estrada: Apart from its extravagant appearance, I am curious to know how is it possible to grow minerals exactly in that part. I can't understand their adaptive or reproductive function… That reminds me of a question I had forgotten to ask last time, do you eat those anomalous minerals?
Norvelio: You just linked the two subjects - certain members of our people are able to cultivate and eat mycominerals. Since centuries ago, in our childhood we consume a cocktail of commensal bacteria capable of degrading these anomalous minerals in our digestive tract… But extreme care must be taken in carrying out such a practice, or you may over stimulate these bacteria, causing an untreatable and deadly bacterial infection.
P. Estrada: And is it worth the risk? Apart from the fact that the process to obtain this food is not at all simple.
Norvelio: If something isn't really a risk, it's definitely not worth it. Mycominerals have the ability to give you enough energy to not depend on water and other foods for months to years, or even decades. That is one of their main functions, others confer temporary or permanent anomalous capabilities, it all depends on the type of fungus grown. Speaking of that disease and as a good researcher, you must be eager to examine in detail a member of our species?
P. Estrada: That's a very spontaneous question, and not something I would ask that way considering the implications. Although it would be very helpful to our research.
Norvelio: That's a very elaborate way of saying "yes". You see, a few days ago a poor homeless thief managed to get to my crop and inadvertently ate a mycomineral without due precautions, causing his death. I wouldn't want his body to simply function as compost and if it can be of any help to you, all the better. Don't worry about a biohazard either, the disease is not transmissible.
P. Estrada: Your hospitality and empathy surprises me, so much it makes me ask, why? Why are you willing to explain all this to us in detail?
Norvelio: I am eager to answer you, but the farm is not the best place for it. Would you like to join me at one of my households? There it is, around that crimson fungus.
P. Estrada: Alright, let's go.
(They both walk through the crop until they find a circular entrance decorated with stones and metals. Norvelio opens the door by placing his two hands in front of it and tracing several glyphs with his index finger. Upon entering, several green lamps can be seen on the floor, and a purple one on the ceiling. Several beige scrolls are seen lying on the floor, along with a small hole in the center of the room where there is a quartz crystal.)
Norvelio: Forgive me if I've not had time to clear my home, and if you see little footsteps. Yesterday I brought in a small young litter to teach them about fungus history and cultivation. You could say I'm a professor of some sort.
P. Estrada: Considering your knowledge, you could be a teacher to anyone on the surface. Now, what is the sudden reason for contacting us?
Norvelio: It's because here is not really that much difference between our species, we have our mages, threats, cultures and hundreds of other things. I know you have not seen the actual cities of our people, but that is because we are diverse, just as the human diversified in the continents, our species did the same expanding throughout this Shield.
P. Estrada: Is that all it is? That enthusiasm of yours indicates at least a greater intent, or perhaps concern.
Norvelio: If you had the opportunity to open the way for future generations to a better future, would you try? I cannot decide overnight to make us part of the human world, what I can do is to introduce us in the best possible way: cooperation, trust, solidarity. My people are too distant from yours and vice versa, we do not seek to return nor do we need to. Still, at some point we will come into close contact and I would like to start as soon as possible, one step at a time.
P. Estrada: Something like a better chance of survival, right?
Norvelio: It is not about survival, it is to coexist peacefully with human beings. We are both inhabitants of the same world and we must take care of it together; when it comes to face the evils that concern us since ancient times, or the emerging ones, we will be ready to confront them, not as humans nor as rodents, but as the embodiment of life belonging to our Earth.
(End Log)

Notes: After evaluation of Dr. Estrada's request to bring the body of the rodent mentioned in the log, it was accepted, and that same week a team recovered the body without major difficulties.

The latest information regarding Nx-14 has been restricted to Level 4 or higher personnel. Full declassification of the document is expected in 2016, upon confirmation of the nature of the events that have occurred.

Additional Expedition, 25/12/2014
On 24/12/2014 a message was received from Nx-14, requesting an expedition outside the established schedule. On this date, slight seismic changes coming from the asthenosphere were detected, with epicenters coming from all the geological shields of the planet.

Log (25/12/2014)

Access Granted

Location: Unknown area of Nx-14.
Date: 25/12/2014
Assigned Department: Department of Biology; member: Pedro Estrada (P. Estrada).

(Begin Log)
Norvelio: During our first encounter you asked me, why did we go to the depths of the Earth? And I actually rambled a bit, because I didn't feel confident yet to tell you the truth.
P. Estrada: So you lied with all that stuff about intelligence and so on?
Norvelio: Oh, no, not at all, the only thing that lies achieve is to weaken honor and friendship. Of course it was a very basic answer, with intelligence we understood our situation. Before we go on, are you really willing to unveil our past? Because it is a delicate subject in several aspects.
P. Estrada: Sure, all these years I've been looking for that answer, haven't we made progress in all these years of expeditions?
(Norvelio puts his tail on the ground, wagging it in a slow serpentine fashion.)
Norvelio: It is true, your words and actions confirm what I have always thought about you. Let's go back to the subject. We understood that we were afraid of the world. What were we in the ancient times of our species? A bunch of rats in a land full of extraordinary beings: the appearance of the children of the night, the puzzling forgotten lands, the empires of metal, flesh and blood… The list goes on and on, it was clear that at some point we were going to encounter one of these great empires, and do you know what my ancestors did?
P. Estrada: Escape to these subterranean places? But how?
Norvelio: Of course we would have done that, except that we had no idea about such advanced magic. We had the intelligence of an average human being, no tricks to rely on, no machines to operate, no gods to pray to. We began to hide in caves, thinking to look for natural shelters. We were truly hopeless and doomed, maybe with luck we would have gone extinct, but, oh, those empires were as cruel as their wars.
Do you remember the first time you came here with your team? I know it seems like a deviation from the topic, but it's not.
P. Estrada: I remember how some inscriptions appeared on a stone and then we were transported to the meeting point.
Norvelio: Exactly, those inscriptions and transportation methods were taught to our people in those primitive times. There is a story about a female hermit, one of the first to live totally in the caves and from one day to the next. She told us about the existence of entities belonging to the ground and its depths. We call them the Burial Worms, but they are not really worms at all, they are bodiless beings, moving freely throughout the lithosphere.
At the time we considered them the salvation of our people, as they helped us settle in this place and provided us with the basic knowledge to forge our future. However, their presence so close to the surface was an evil omen. Remember all those groups I mentioned a few moments ago?
P. Estrada: While they are not my specialty, I know some beings from those groups. Or at least the main thing about each, if you mean the Daevites, Mekhanites and so on.
Norvelio: Oh, those are certainly interesting names for those beings, although I sense it is more of a linguistic convenience rather than a real name. Anyway, during millions of years such imposing societies arose and then, one by one, they rotted away until they are almost forgotten today, or hidden in the most remote places of the planet.
For far too long I attributed these downfalls to completely independent processes, unconnected to each other. But after searching throughout my life, I found a change in the… soul of the planet? I wouldn't know how to put it into words. The last relevant change was the… Quaternary mass extinction, and I…
P. Estrada: Are you alright? Suddenly I could only hear your normal squeals.
Norvelio: Forgive me, the knowledge I gained is too shocking for this old rodent. From that point in history, a force that I still do not fully understand influenced in one way or another the fall of life on Earth. The advantage of living so deep allowed me to find not dozens, but hundreds of remains belonging to eras already forgotten by the surface. So much beauty lost in just moments for no apparent reason, it is terrifying just to think about that mere fact.
P. Estrada: Are you talking about a god or something? An archaic organism from the past?
Norvelio: There is no worse feeling than uncertainty, and I hate to say it, but I don't know, my old friend. It could be a god, at least some of my kind call it that. I for one do not recognize it as a divine entity. We know that the Worms are some sort of descendant of that… I'll take the liberty of calling it an entity, although it could be anything else, an event or an element.
P. Estrada: If you don't know what it is, how do you know of its existence? There must be some proof if you are telling me this.
Norvelio: Don't rush yet, my comrade. Although we planned to escape with the Worms, an event forced us to accelerate that process. Our species ruled what is now Central America and the northern part of South America, and during the weeks of the… The moment that entity began to awaken, a tragic event occurred. The mouths consumed so many, no matter what they were, buried alive from one instant to the next. We lost more than half the population in a few days. We understood that the Worms could fight off the entity and we escaped. Can you give me a moment? My explanations are becoming less and less precise.
P. Estrada: No problem, take as much time as you need.
Norvelio: I'll go for a silver crystal, those tend to cheer me up.
(Norvelio is seen going to a wall with several holes, he climbs it until he almost touches the ceiling. As he descends a silver crystal can be seen in his mouth, and once on the ground he begins to consume it over the course of three minutes.)
Norvelio: That's a little better, while I was eating I was thinking if you wouldn't mind letting me write down the details of those events instead of mentioning them to you. I'd feel more at ease that way, and by the way, we'd waste less time getting to our next destination.
P. Estrada: I'm fine with that, but where do we go now? To the mushroom forest from last time?
Norvelio: I'm afraid our destination is not as peaceful as that. We are going towards the answers to your doubts, we will travel to Odosha's Abyss.

One way of storing information is the use of books created from chitin, which has the property of printing thoughts in text by touch. The leaves are kept alive for an indefinite time and change their pigmentation to represent words. If the book were to die, the last inscriptions are permanently engraved on the leaves. Below is a leaf belonging to these books with the details mentioned in the previous record:

Transcription of the text "Motadewa's nightmare"

Access Granted

At the time of my people's escape, when we could escape from the end of our times with the help of the Burial Worms, an unprecedented evil manifested. But, should I call an unknown force evil? Is it audacious of me to judge without contemplating the paradigms of my mind? Perhaps so, in any case, I find no natural justification for such a chaotic act without any sense. It is natural, because in a world where the most suitable manages to extend its arms to take over, everything has always been found under a flag, a goal or an idea.
And what evil idea can explain that day? For not only did a great part of my people fall to such thoughts into the Abyss. Who waved the banner of extermination? For no nation of the ancient world took responsibility. Did they succeed in consummating their goal? Even in these days, I still wonder what really stopped them. The appearance of this exception was brief in its acts, the display of power summoned from the depths to bury and forget was absurd.
It does not matter if we are able to break through the hot center of our world, their lives descended and were consumed in the cruel heat that caused this event. To my misfortune, I was able to get the memories of a survivor, in order to preserve that distant past, and I saw it. The holes under our feet opened up like a beast, a roar was expelled from that cursed mouth followed by the appearance of more and more mouth-shaped holes.
Momentarily the surface revisited its first days in creation, rivers from the center of our planet flowed across the plains where once flowers were waiting to grow. The sky was covered with corrupt smoke infecting the white clouds, losing its vivid blue to turn crimson, not even the Sun was able to illuminate such a disproportionate fall.
Was it due to an unknown natural process? No way, because after several days of that infernal and sick flood, the melted blood of the planet returned through those same mouths, different flowers covered the wounds, and oblivion struck those who were able to witness and survive the event.
Perhaps it was a fatal disease of our world, waiting for the moment to end it once and for all. That would have been a more comforting answer, because in the end I found the answer in another chapter of our history. For our people decided to face the mouths of Odosha on their own ground before they could rise again. We cut out his tongue never again to consume the beauty of the surface.
And I, who undertook my quest for knowledge, wish I could revive those who perished in the past in the countless ages of the world. Still, the future has never been more uncertain, for the mouths were not the final answer, but only a small demonstration of the true face of Odosha, the mysterious cyclic affliction of the Earth.

MYTHOLOGY

Abyssal rodents share cultural elements with the Yekuana culture. Further research has shown that at some point in the past, one of these rodents was in contact with the Yekuana people, who considered them to be an emissary of the gods. The purpose of this rodent is unclear, but they were tasked with making known to the Yekuana two dual entities known as "Wannadi" and "Odosha", the former depicted as a benevolent entity, represented as a woodpecker, and master of 8 different heavens; however, recent research indicates that these 8 heavens are actually 8 different states within Hoiohiña, and the true origin of Wannadi remains unknown.
The second deity has no unique representation, being amorphous or described as "a river of black tears". This entity is malevolent and actively seeks the destruction of Wannadi's creation. Information concerning the entity is even scarcer compared to Wannadi, being delicate and related to major events such as mass extinctions or reconfigurations of large portions of land. The veracity of such statements is still being verified, but has been somewhat supported by the following records:

Second log (25/12/2014)

Access Granted

Location: Aquiferous area of Nx-14, "Iadiñakuna".
Date: 25/12/2014
Assigned Department: Department of Biology; member: Pedro Estrada (P. Estrada).

Foreword: The excursion begins on the shores of a lake where the only flora is grass and small herbs, on the surface of the water it is possible to see several light blue luminescent spots, which are responsible for illuminating the place.

(Begin Log)
(Norvelio holds a large, glowing red crystal, and throws it onto the shores of the lake with his tail. After a few seconds, a small boat emerges from the crystal.)
Norvelio: Sorry to keep you waiting for so long, setting up the boat took me longer than expected. Besides, I had to mentally prepare myself to sail on the Akuena, the most beautiful lake of all and the only shortcut to the dark past of the Abyss.
P. Estrada: It certainly is nice and magical, otherwise I can't find the reason for plants to exist in a place devoid of sunlight. Are we really going to get there by sailing to the place you mentioned?
Norvelio: There is no other way, unless you want to go all the way down through the different levels of our home, and let me tell you, not everyone is as open-minded as I am. And it would take us between 3 days and a week at best. Now…
(Norvelio points his tail towards the horizon of the lake.)
Norvelio: That course would take us into a stream to enter one of the main population centers. (He wags his tail in the opposite position.) And this one leads to the edge of the lake, where the lights go out and the soul rests, a zone of instability where all sorts of travels are possible. Ready to sail?
P. Estrada: If that boat is all we need for the trip, and there are no other warnings, I'm fine to proceed. Are you sure no additional protection is necessary? Our little boat looks too rudimentary for such an expedition.
Norvelio: Sometimes the simplest method is the right one. Don't leave all the work of perception to your eyes either, I've put a lot of care into that little boat.
(Norvelio and Estrada climb into the boat, which takes a more detailed appearance seconds later, such as the appearance of a sphere where the engine would normally be. Several unknown engravings appear on the sides, and for a momen, a white sphere can be seen surrounding the boat. During the first 15 minutes they sail without any change in the environment, Norvelio is heard whistling a tune during this period of time; when he stops whistling, the ceiling of the cave begins to turn blue.)
P. Estrada: Is this lake taking us to the surface? Or why does the sky suddenly seems to be appearing? I thought we were going somewhere deeper into the Earth.
Norvelio: Oh and you are not wrong. Not just any sky is manifesting, we are in the fourth of our heavens: Iadiñakuna. Sometimes I come here to ask the Mahewa butterflies about their work, but I don't think they will be here today, they know about our mission.
P. Estrada: A few moments ago I think I saw some electric eels, or at least from a distance they seemed to be so. Are these animals endemic to the fourth heaven or is it just the grass on the shores?
Norvelio: They are spiritual beings guarding the other three lower "heavens". The Mahewa protect and guide the winds, as do the eels, known as Dinushi, but in their case it's the water.
P. Estrada: It's strange for me to think of heavens so far below the earth, are all these places accessible through different subterranean lakes?
Norvelio: Unfortunately no, the methods to reach each of them are different,, and the closer you get to the eighth heaven, the less time you can stay there. Well, it seems that the time has come, do you see any stars or clouds in the sky?
P. Estrada: None, in fact, I thought I saw some clouds a few moments ago. Now what should we do? We seem to be in the middle of nowhere, can't even see the lights from above.
Norvelio: So all conditions have been fulfilled, let's go to our true destiny, let's realize the fall into the Abyss itself.
(Norvelio reaches for another ruby and black crystal that was on the floor of the boat. He grabs it first with his tail and then takes it in his hands, scratching it for 30 seconds. He approaches the gunwale of the boat and carefully drops the crystal. After another 30 seconds, a small whirlpool begins to manifest under the boat.)
P. Estrada: I guess this is going according to plan, (nervous) right?
Norvelio: You could say so, but getting to that place is already not in anyone's plans. I wouldn't worry too much, unless you're suffering from nausea or something like that. (Concerned) That's not the case, is it? I wouldn't want someone to throw up while descending, it would ruin the experience.
P. Estrada: If all I have to worry about is nausea, then there is no problem.
Norvelio: Just keep your hands inside the boat and everything should be fine. The sphere you saw at the start serves as a capsule, there will be no problems with the water and the other elements at the time of our immersion. Neither with conditions such as temperature or pressure.
(The whirlpool grows over the next 45 seconds until it is large enough to sink the boat. The sphere manifests again and shields them from the water like a bubble. For the remainder of the descent, the audio log detects no sound. Every 10 minutes the color of the water becomes darker, mouthless faces and bats are abruptly visible for time to time. After 40 minutes, the liquid surrounding the boat turns completely black. After 60 minutes, the boat is found to be surrounded by magma and in the 70th minute they emerge back into a magma lake.)
P. Estrada: I didn't think… What is that?
Norvelio: This is the prison of the last direct descendant of Odosha, and that is one of his tongues.
(At this point the camera starts to fail, but it is possible to see a structure similar to a snake's tongue, although its full size is not possible to be captured in the frame. Other similar but smaller structures seem to emerge from the tongue, resembling the conformation of a fractal. The camera suffers another failure and shows nothing for 7 seconds, once it returns to normal, 3 more similar structures are found, the tongues begin to move and at that moment, the video recording stops working. Later it would be determined that the video recording was corrupted, since at no time did Estrada or Norvelio make any reference to this fact.)
Norvelio: It's one of the odoshankomos at the service of Odosha. The area known as "Odosha's Abyss" is more of a border and we are in its beginning. You were looking for proof, weren't you? Here is one.
P. Estrada: Needless to say, if that's just his tongue I can' t imagine his whole body. Was that the cause of that mass extinction?
Norvelio: No, this being never managed to see the surface of the Earth thanks to the sacrifice of our people. The first time we met the odoshankomos we lost on the surface, and this extinction occurred. It was five thousand years ago when this tongue began to manifest in the mantle of the Earth. But this time we were prepared, or at least, we knew it was coming, and my ancestors used every stone, mineral, magic crystal, every spell known to our world, and the blood merged in this place. We beat it at a high price, but we have recovered.
P. Estrada: And yet, you still have a big concern, don't you? Because as you told me, this is just one of his servants, and nothing is yet known about the real threat.
Norvelio: It feels good to have found someone who understands me. Since we are here, do you want to know why I really insisted on having contact with humanity?
P. Estrada: It's a weird time to ask that, but go ahead.
Norvelio: When I had just left my litter and learned about this vast world, I thought I could make our two species meet face to face. I was still young and somewhat innocent, after a while I realized that it would be impossible to do something like that. Their world knew monsters and darkness just like ours. But do you know what I aimed for? I did everything rodently possible to keep my people safe, to alert yours about a still misunderstood danger, and to make sure I didn't fight alone. Do you understand?
P. Estrada: I can understand that, it's true that my work has put me in front of some monstrosities, and I recognize your concern. We will try to contain whatever this thing is, one way or another.
Norvelio: I hope I can trust you and your people as I have always done. Because in the end, life on Earth must not be defeated again.
(End Log)

Third log (25/12/2014)

Access Granted

Location: Second area of Nx-14 - "Iadekuna".
Date: 25/12/2014
Assigned Department: Department of Theology; member: Francisca Ochoa (F. Ochoa).

Foreword: Simultaneously with the encounter of P. Estrada with Norvelio, researcher F. Ochoa accompanied another member of R. Abissos. This was appointed at the request of the Attitiudi Hana of Iadekuna. Their representative is named Hainalda, a female specimen, with brown fur and a necklace of several prismatic crystals. She has the same ability as Norvelio to communicate.

(Begin Log)
(Both of them travel through a system of caves from the first area (Jahuakudahana) to the second (Iadekuna)- the presence of luminous minerals increases as they advance. They stop once they reach another area full of fungi, however, it is not possible to see any kind of pattern on the ground.)
Hainalda: We finally arrived, human, to the second area of my land, Iadekuna. At a place where we will not be seen together.
F. Ochoa: Why should we care about being seen? Other than the confidentiality of our meeting.

Hainalda: First of all, no human has ever set foot on these lands, and secondly, those who know of you all are well aware of your catastrophic nature. If it weren't for the fact that perhaps there is no chance of survival without mutual support, I would not be talking to you.
F. Ochoa: So what do you mean by "catastrophic nature"? One specific event?
Hainalda: Sometimes I' m concerned that even among you, events of enormous magnitude are hidden. But to answer your question, didn't you carry out a genocide in the northern upper lands? Didn't you try to eliminate or coldly lock up everything that you don't understand?
F. Ochoa: Our mission is about research. I don't know about the first event you cite, but I know there must have been a reason for it.
Hainalda: So what ensures our safety around you? You can always find a justification to cover up your cruel acts. Although, it's also not my mission to deal with these issues, and certainly not with someone who only follows protocol.
F. Ochoa: Following that protocol, what is that necklace for?
Hainalda: It's not part of our agreement to answer those types of questions. While my partner can provide you with that type of information, please refrain from asking such questions.
(Hainalda produces a few grave squeaks.)
Hainalda: Anyway, what were your concerns about our mythology?
F. Ochoa: They were mostly about Wannadi, about his importance and role for your people.
Hainalda: On Wannadi it's enough for you to know about his role in the creation of all that exists, across the depths, the sky and the earth. But in our world he made sure to leave his subordinates, mostly to oversee the Abyss and its dangers.
F. Ochoa: So Wannadi is a universal entity, while Odosha is-
Hainalda: Don't say that name directly, at least not in front of me.
F. Ochoa: Excuse me. As I was saying, would the Abyss only be an entity pertinent to Earth?
Hainalda: No, both are in the same rank. The Abyss was sealed long ago, longer than you could imagine. Just for a moment imagine it, the chaos that the Abyss would be able to cause by being free in existence.
F. Ochoa: Okay, I understand. Another doubt I have is about the Burial Worms. Unlike other entities mentioned by human groups, there is nothing about this one. Why is this? Are they representatives of the Abyss or Wannadi?
Hainalda: They are a particular case, if I may say so. They were odoshankomos, beings at the service of the Abyss - their power is highly variable, and they can present themselves in different forms. But the essence of Earth, impregnated by the presence of Wannadi, was able to reverse their malevolent nature.
F. Ochoa: One could say that Wannadi has this ability to override evil, isn't that right?
Hainalda: OIf only it were that simple. He is able to remove the contamination of the Abyss, which infects the original akató.6. And in that case it was only the essence he left behind. Wannadi himself has not appeared in our world in the present times, because we accepted his task.
F. Ochoa: Do your people somehow seek to bring this entity back?
Hainalda: That must be one of your important questions, because it would affect your world. But luckily, we don't seek that goal. We were given a second chance to live. ,More than that, to protect this world. That is why we are here, to try to improve communication with your species… And since I have told you so much, could you tell me something about your world?
F. Ochoa: Sure, I have an audio transmitter here, so Command can confirm if I'm able to answer you.
Hainalda: Do those empires centered on the manipulation of flesh, and their war against the followers of gears and metal, still exist? Has that eccentric city of black stars disappeared once and for all? Nothing's to them, but I would rather stop living with rumors and know some of the truth.
(F. Ochoa sends the questions to Comand. After 10 minutes, she receives the approved answers.)
F. Ochoa: Although there are still some groups from those empires, they are no longer known as such. Their presence has been relegated to myths for most people. About that city, from time to time it manages to manifest itself, although not in a very serious way.
Hainalda: Good to know about the fall and end of that war between those two groups. Although, as long as that city keeps popping up from time to time, it's a big problem… Any other questions to conclude?
F. Ochoa: Will the Abyss awaken soon, at least in this century?
Hainalda: May Wannadi protect us if so, but as far as we know, —I must stress that we don't know everything—, it will not awaken for another millennium. However, the odoshankomos are a different story, appearing almost spontaneously or regaining their strength; although their destructive capacity and dangerousness are not as great as the Abyss, they could put an end to us all if we do not stop them.

Footnotes
1. Theoretical aproximation.
2. According to the dynamic model of Earth's structure.
3. Family of rodents of the Myomorpha suborder.
4. An animal's tail with a biological adaptation that allows it to grasp or hold objects.
5. This ability is not innate to the species.
6. Translation pending, can be exchanged for spirit or soul.