Expedition Expectations

Simon,

As you know, you have been assigned to Expedition 14 A-2. There are several goals we hope your team will be able to meet while on expedition. Since you are familiar with the discovered tablets, we would like you to find cooperative evidence on the other side of the Main Portal - similar writings of any kind should be photographed and collected.

Primarily, we are looking to capture several more bio-specimens. Having already collected many of the smaller 'imp' creatures', we would like to bring back one of the larger ones, described by others as a 'Hell-Knight'. Previous expeditions have reported seeing them at the Main Portal destination, where you will be arriving. You will have several weapons with you, but we ask that you attempt to use non-lethal force, we would really like to have a live specimen if possible.

Finally, travelling through the portal has caused varied reactions. For our records we would like you to keep an audio log of everything you experience for us to later analyze.

I hope you have a safe trip.

Heather.


Maybe it was the work. Or the pressure. Or the pay. But, looking back, I tend to believe it was the curiosity that drove me to join up to the expeditions. The insatiable, infectious curiosity that affected almost everyone who even got a look at those stone tablets.

I remember when I first saw the tablets. Just my standing next to one of them, you could tell they were genuine. They had a...presence about them that seemed to both disturb and seduce me. It was alien, for sure.

Alien. Later, I though of the tablets when I was working, and I came to the conclusion that we were the aliens. We were the ones who had invaded and stationed ourselves on that red planet. But, nevertheless, my curiosity got the better of me.

When I did sign up to the expedition, I was under the impression I would simply be taking samples, and maybe, just maybe, I would get a chance at seeing the 'bio-specimens' I had heard about. But when I was issued a plasma gun, and held it tentatively in my palms, everything became different. Suddenly, I was embarking on a dangerous and life-threatening journey - risking my life in the name of finding some creature. Still. I wanted to do it.

On the day of my departure, I heard rumours that the Board of the UAC were sending two representatives to check up on Mars, and Betruger, apparently. Malcolm Betruger, in my opinion, was a brilliant scientist and a visionary. At least...that's what I used to believe. I always thought that if the UAC could give us a bit of freedom, the teleportation project could soar. Everything seems so easy when it's going right.

The transporter was a strange device. It looked like a compressor, as oppose to a teleporter. But when it fired up...it was something to be marvelled at. It was stunning, in every sense of the word. But when I approached it, I became fearful. The soldier in front of me stepped in and, in approximately three seconds, vanished. Knowing the teleporter had a limited operation span, I hurriedly moved into position. The beams of light grew stronger, and flashed past my eyes. I felt like I was being stretched sideways, and my vision blurred. Then...I was gone.