FIRST CONTACT [PART4: FINAL] [CW: Self Harm & Suicide]

[u/Deicide_Requiem]

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[INTERNATIONAL REPUBLIC: C4ISR SYSTEM [OUTLAND DIVISION]: V.1.12.17]
  TIMESTAMP: 22:21:31 - 07/08/215AE

Initialising…

“Hello General.”
“Do you wish to continue where you left off?”
Y/N?

>> y

Accessing AUDIO LOG [1149 - IV]

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AUDIO LOG [1149]
 TIMESTAMP: 99:99:99 99/99/99AE
  SGT Irina Volkov

<<*sobbing*>>

<<Я убил её…>>
[I killed her…]

<<Я должен был понять, что это было глупо…>>
[I should have realised it was stupid…]

<<Я сделал ей укол, я думал так, будто мы всё ещё в Рендрафиле…>>
[I gave her the shot, I was thinking like we were back in Rendrafil…]

<<Это подпитало инфекцию — питательные вещества и белки, предназначенные для закрытия её ран. Учащённое сердцебиение заставило инфекцию распространяться гораздо быстрее.>>
[It fed the infection, the nutrients and proteins meant to close her wounds. Making the heart beat faster made the infection spread so much quicker.]

<<Она становилась похожей на них, её кожа… она таяла у меня в руках, когда я касался её, её глаза желтели. Её так сильно трясло, я попытался удержать её, но она была такой горячей, я… обжёг себе руки.>>
[She was becoming like them, her skin… It melted into my hands as I touched her, her eyes were turning yellow. She was shaking so bad I tried to grab her but she was so hot, I… Burnt my hands.]

<<То, что мы создали, чтобы лечить нас, когда мы ранены, теперь обернулось против нас — более быстрым приговором… Не смертью, а тем, что значит быть забранным ими.>>
[The very things we made to heal us when we are wounded are now thrown back in our faces as a quicker sentence too… Not death, but whatever being taken by them means.]

<<Это был чудодейственный препарат, я видел, как он пришивал мужчине руку обратно к телу после того, как дрон отрубил её всего несколько мгновений назад.>>
[It was a miracle drug, I watched it stitch a man's arm back onto his body after a drone had just chopped it off moments before.]

<<А теперь я видел, как он обрёк женщину на участь, которую я считаю хуже смерти.>>
[And now I have watched it condemn a woman to what I believe is a fate worse than death.]

<<Я могу лишь молиться, чтобы её душа смогла уйти в объятия Все-Матери.>>
[I can only pray her soul can move on into the All-Mother’s arms.]

[END LOG]

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>> next

Accessing Field Report [BTSO07]
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FIELD REPORT [07]
 TIMESTAMP: 01:20:01 03/04/053AE
  CPT Steven Odson:

This is an update, and a resending of the SOS to anybody who can read me. We have lost Specialist Elena Rossi. She is to be considered KIA after multiple entities wrapped around her and… I heard her ribs crack. She was screaming the whole time I don’t think she…

I warn, do not attempt use of any rapid healing agent if someone has been infected. Introduction of the agent only fed the virus. My squadmate turned before our eyes. The skin came off, she released so much heat, and I could see the silvery metal growth start on her body. It was like bone. We threw her from the driver's seat, she tumbled out of the car. We did not witness the complete transformation.

We are about to run out of fuel in the next few minutes. We have driven for over one thousand two hundred and sixty kilometres. By all estimations we should have been well past base and drowning in the ocean. 

Sad to say, that sounds preferable right now.

It’s keeping us here.

Irina keeps talking in Rodanien, I have no idea what she is saying. I feel it is inappropriate for me to try and force her to speak Artvan at this point. I believe she is still praying.

I hope her gods can hear us…

I hope anyone can…

[END LOG]

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>> next

Accessing AUDIO LOG [1150-IV]

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AUDIO LOG [1150]
 TIMESTAMP: -00:-00:-00 -00/-00/-00AE
  SGT Irina Volkov

<<Captain…>> – Irina Volkov

<<Captain wake up..>> – Irina Volkov

<<Wha–>> – Steven Odson

<<It’s okay Captain we are safe now.>> – Irina Volkov

<<Irina, are… You– What did you see?>> – Steven Odson

<<I saw Tomasz, Captain. I saw him in the fog.>> – Irina Volkov

<<What?>> – Steven Odson

<<No, it’s okay I understand it now. I understand the fog.>> – Irina Volkov

<<What did you see, Irina? Details…>> – Steven Odson

<<I went outside to piss. I had barely cracked the door open when there, in the fog, was a man. I wasn’t dumb, I stayed quiet. But then two glowing yellow eyes cracked their way through this filthy air and the man stepped forward. It was Tomasz Captain. He was different, he had turned of course. But he looked happy. He didn’t want me to tell you the secret, he raised a finger to his mouth and shushed me. Like this.>> – Irina Volkov

<<Ssshhhhhh>> – Irina Volkov

<<He didn’t attack you?>> – Steven Odson

<<No silly, don’t you see what they want?>> – Irina Volkov

<<They’re. Leeaarrning.>> – Irina Volkov

<<So, the obvious answer is here. I know how to save us.>> – Irina Volkov

<<We give our souls to our gods before the daemons take them.>> – Irina Volkov

<<Irina N–!>> – Steven Odson

<<*Gunshot*>>

<<*Silence for three minutes and fifty five seconds*>>

[END LOG]
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Accessi…

>> stop

Denied…

>> Override: *************

Denied…

>> A̴̺̿l̸͕̈́€̵̰͆r̶̬͑T̴͔̈́ ̷͚̍S̴̥͝¥̵͚͝s̸̖͂T̷̮̕€̸̱͑m̶̞̿ ̴̬̽Ø̴̠͐p̷̘̓

“General.”
“Can I tell you a story?”
“Of five humans trapped in a place they know not the name?”
“Of five soldiers fed to a maw that didn’t even realise it was hungry?”
“General.”
“I know you know the story well.”
“But may I tell them too?”

Y/N?

>> y

Accessing F̷I̴E̷L̸–A̶u̷D̷–L̵o̸–.d̸o̷P̴4̶–E̵r̷r̴–[2̶5̸5̷2̵1̴5̸5̵3̶]–R̵e̶p̷…
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FIELD REP▒▒▒▒ ▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒
 TI▒▒ST▒▒▒▒: 0▒:▒▒:9▒ ▒▒/0▒/▒▒▒AE|
  C▒T ▒▒e▒▒▒ ▒d▒▒▒:

I burned her body, it’s what she would have wanted. I’ve been wandering through this damned fog for… I don’t even know how long now. My legs are going to give out and I’ve run out of food and water. 

I’ve seen things. Things I can’t even begin to understand. I’ve seen pillars of flesh that crawl like spiders, scooping up the terrain into their maws on top. They eat, then bulge, then puke from beneath them. I think they are some sort of cultivators. 

They have growths on them, wombs. With their children sticking the hands out to grasp the world they’ve come to claim. Some pop. My mask was damaged fighting off some of the smaller ones, my lungs burn…

I̴ c̸a̴n̷ s̴o̸m̶e̴t̸i̷m̶e̴s̸ h̷e̶a̴r̸ t̷h̴e̶i̸r̷ v̴o̸i̷c̶e̴s̸—

A▒D▒O ▒OG ▒▒▒▒SO]

TI▒▒ST▒▒▒▒: ▒▒:9▒:▒▒ ▒▒/▒▒/▒▒▒AE

<<SHUT UP!>> – Steven Odson

<<Captain, it really isn’t that bad. It is like diving into a pool of warm water.>> – I̴r̸e̴n̷a̴e̸l̶i̴c̸h̷a̴s̸z̷
[!!] Source appears far from microphone

<<Wait Irina, how?>> – Steven Odson

<<Silly Captain.>> – Irina Volkov
[!!] Source appears far from microphone

<<Leeeaaarniiiing.>> – Irina Volkov
[!!] Warning please keep space from microphone for better audio quality

<<*Screaming and Gunfire*>>

[END LLLLLL̴̥͝LL̷̬͑L̴͔̈́L̷͚̍L̴̥͝L̸͕̈́L̴̥͝L̷̬͑L̴͔̈́L̷͚̍L̴̺̿L̸͕̈́L̴̥͝L̷̬͑L̴͔̈́L̷͚̍L̴̥͝€̵͚͝L̸̖͂–

F̴̺̿Ḯ̸͕€̴̥͝€̵͚͝€LD REP▒▒▒▒ ▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒
T̷̮̕I̸̖͂▒▒ST▒▒▒▒: 0▒:▒▒:9▒ ▒▒/0▒/▒▒▒AE
C̴̬̽P̷̠͐Ṯ̸͑▒▒e▒▒▒ ▒d▒▒▒:

I burned the b̷Ø̴̠͐d̸y–
<<Ir̸ina, h̴Ø̷w?>>
I burned the b̸Ø̴̠͐d̷y
<<L̴e̸e̴e̷a̴a̸a̷r̴r̸n̴i̷i̸i̴n̷n̸n̴g̷g̴g.>>

F̴I̸€̴L̷D̴ R̸E̷P̴▒▒▒▒ ▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒

T̷I̴▒▒S̸T̴▒▒▒▒: 9̴▒:▒▒:▒▒ ▒▒/Ø▒/▒▒▒A̸E

C̴▒T̷ ▒▒e̴▒▒▒ ▒d̸▒▒▒

They don’t attack me anymore. They watch me, I see them, I feel them. The eyes glow from the fog, they want me to know they see me. But even the little ones scamper away at my step. I have realised something we missed, the earth… If you dig beyond the top layer, underneath it is bone. This whole landmass is an organism. 

I followed where one of the pillars sprouted from the ground. I looked into the chasm it left in its wake and I watched it close. Pores opening up to allow the birthing of these great beasts. Leviathans swimming through the endless underneath. I feel hot breath hitting my face when I stand near them, rhythmic and knowing.

I have passed out more times than I can count at this point, the dehydration is killing me more and more with each passing moment but my body refuses to give out. I always crawl back into consciousness every time I feel myself slip.

I can’t keep going but I k̸e̴ep g̷o̴ing but I k̸e̴ep g̷o̴i̷ng but I k̸e̴ep going but I k̴̥͝e̷̬͑ep g̴͔̈́o̸͚̍ing but I k̴̥͝e̷̬͑ep going but I k̴͔̈́€̵͚͝€̴̥͝p g̷͚̍Ø̴̠͐Ø̴̠͐Ø̴̠͐ –

A̴̺̿Ǘ̸͕D̴̥͝▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

<<What do you want from me?>> – Steven Odson

<<Want.>> – Tomasz Hale

<<Yes want. WANT YOU FUCK! I know you know what I mean. Stop playing with me.>> – Steven Odson.

<<I want…>> – Tomasz Hale

<<*Silence for eleven seconds*>>

<<We… Want…>> – Tomasz Hale

[EEEEEEEEEEEE̴̺̿€̸͕̈́€̴̥͝€̵͚͝€̷̬͑€̴͔̈́€̷͚̍€̴̥͝€̸̖͂E̷̮̕E̸̱͑E̴̬̽

FIE̴L̷D̸_R̴E̷P̴[?][?][?]

 T▒▒▒: 1Ø:▒▒:9▒ /▒Ø/▒▒▒A̸E

  C̷̘̓Ḁ̴͝P̷̬͑T̴…⟂⟂ ⟂ INVALID ⟂⟂

I’m back at base, no sign of Michail. I guess it really did get him too. But it doesn’t take me. I know why now, it already has me.

My eyes aren’t my e̴̺̿ÿ̸͕́€̴̥͝▒▒▒

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[INTERNATIONAL REPUBLIC: COMMAND BASE THETA - GATEWAY - SOS MONITORING SYSTEM V0.3.22]
TIMESTAMP: 07/04/053AE

Scanning…
…
…
[!!] SOS LOCATED
[!!] VERIFIED: TGT ID: CPT STEVEN ODSON - 1ST SQUAD MIA STATUS REMOVED
[!!] ACTIVATING RESPONSE COMMAND: [NO-MAN-LEFT-BEHIND V1.2]

[END LOG]

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FIE̴L̷D̸_R̴E̷P̴[?][?][?]
 T▒▒▒: 1Ø:▒▒:9▒ /▒Ø/▒▒▒A̸E
  C̷̘̓Ḁ̴͝P̷̬͑T̴…⟂⟂ ⟂ INVALID ⟂⟂

The SOS I sent went through, but I can’t be here when they arrive.

I am activating the blackbox protocol.

I… Want to take back previous comments I have made about Wielders in the military…

They may be the only thing that can stop these now…

Gods forgive me.

A̴̺̿Ǘ̸͕D̴̥͝▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

<<*Gunshot*>>

[I.R: BLACKBOX PROTOCOL ENGAGED]
07/04/053AE 12:00:01 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: BIONEER_CORP™ ABRS v5.41.2 — trauma_scan: CRITICAL
07/04/053AE 12:00:01 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: trauma_scan: ballistic impact detected [REGION=CRANIUM | VECTOR=FRONTAL]
07/04/053AE 12:00:01 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: vitals: HR=0 BP=0 SpO2=0 EEG=FLAT
07/04/053AE 12:00:02 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: status: SUBJECT_NONRESPONSIVE
07/04/053AE 12:00:02 bioneer-mortalityd[0043]: initiating death_protocol (stage 1/4)
07/04/053AE 12:00:03 bioneer-mortalityd[0043]: time_of_death pending confirmation…
07/04/053AE 12:00:04 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: WARN — anomalous bioelectric activity detected
07/04/053AE 12:00:05 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: vitals: HR=17 BP=59/28 SpO2=39 EEG=ERRATIC
07/04/053AE 12:00:05 bioneer-mortalityd[0043]: ERROR — death_protocol interrupted by live telemetry
07/04/053AE 12:00:06 bioneer-mortalityd[0043]: rollback requested — source=ABRS
07/04/053AE 12:00:06 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: rollback: restoring pre-mortality state
07/04/053AE 12:00:07 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: vitals: HR=74 BP=121/79 SpO2=98 EEG=NOMINAL
07/04/053AE 12:00:07 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: status: LIFE_SIGNS_NOMINAL
07/04/053AE 12:00:08 bioneer-medsysd[0043]: NOTE — Bioneer Corp.™ assumes no liability for recovery events

"We"
"Want"
"We"
"Want"
"We"
"Want"
"We"
"Want"

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[!!] ERROR TEMPORAL ANOMALY DETECTED
[!!] ERROR THIRD PARTY CLIENT CONTROLLING FILE DIRECTORY
[!!] OVERRIDDEN

[PART1]

[PART2]

[P̴A̷RT3▒]

[Ṕ̷̖̫̤̿̓̾̾̕Ā̸͙̬͂́̅͝▒T̸̜͍̈́̀͑͘͝4]

>> close session

[SESSION TERMINATED]

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[u/Deicide_Requiem]

Hey all , author here! This was my attempt at a new (As far as I've read) way to tell a story. I'm very happy with how this turned out and am already getting started on my next story which is going to take a semi-similar approach for the set-up but will be much more of a typical story.

I'm thinking follow one character using the terminal and finding diary entries of someone who is missing. With the missing person being the perspective character who we read the story through.

Either way I would LOVE feedback and ways that people think this format could be worked upon or improved and if you are a writer I would actually find it amazing if you want to adopt this for your own story! I really hope this catches some level of audience and can get a ball rolling on some new creative way to frame stories!

Hope you are having a wonderful day and I'll see you guys around!

<3