T-06-27
Mental corruption increased near the empty containment unit number 7, located at the Information Department's lower level. After setting a radio's frequency to 1.76 MHz, a signal was detected. There was a lot of static, but a will was detected inside the unit. Many employees were assigned to attempt working inside in order to produce PE-Boxes. These are the logs from the recordings.
Log nº1. Employee 00203 timidly entered the chamber. They were tasked to attempt Insight Work, so they set the radio to the designated frequency and started communications with the voice on the other side. It was difficult to make out what it was saying, but it appeared to be in distress and was asking for help. A few minutes later, the communication was halted due to explosions occurring on the other side. A heavy silence followed the chaotic screams. After a while, the radio began to emit smoke. Prior tests showed no malfunction actually happened to the device. Employee 00203 suddenly began slamming their head against the walls, shouting their fear of not being safe and begging for salvation. Control Team employee 00107 forcibly restored their sanity by utilizing their white damage EGO. 00203 was sent to the infirmary.
Log nº2. Employee 00204 fearlessly invaded chamber number 7. Their task was to perform Instinct Work. They took seat next to the radio, tunneled the right frequency and waited to receive the signal. When the voice cried for help, 00204 started giving then precise instructions about what to do to defend themselves. The voice got angry, commanding them they should never forget that day. After a similar sequence of events ended in tragedy, smoke started leaking from the radio. The employee then flipped the table, grabbed its baton and began beating every clerk and employee around. The Control Team was waiting for them outside the chamber, so the suppression was quick.
Log nº3. Employee 00205 required some assistance at gathering the courage to enter the chamber, so their Sephirah gave them a choice. Either they worked Attachment work at 1.76 MHz or at T-02-43. When the employee stablished contact with the voice, they tried telling them everything would be alright and promising to help them. Their words failed to alter the events that transpired on that tragic day and the radio started emitting smoke again. Employee 00205 didn't go insane like their colleagues, but they weren't okay either. Employee 00107 suggested to hit them with Penitence to see if that healed them, but the team captain rejected the motion.
Log nº4. Employee 00206 breathed in and out before entering the chamber. They didn't know what to do to perform Repression Work, so they sought guidance from employee [Confidential ID]. Following their advice, when the voice started asking for help, 00206 remained silent and limited themselves to witnessing the events of that day. After the smoke filled the ceiling, the Control Team entered the chamber to retrieve the employee. However, they were entranced with something. According to 00107, it looked almost as if they were fighting a war inside their head. After moving them to the infirmary and allowing them some rest, they recovered from the trauma. However, it is said 00206 suffered nightmares that only worsened whenever they were tasked to enter 1.76 MHz's unit. Later, that corridor a nickname: tragic road. The employees and the clerks would take a longer route to reach their destination if that allowed them to dodge that place.
"Good work today, Ek."
"Thanks, cap. I'll smash their insanity with Penitence as many times as it takes!"
I carefully grabbed my junior's spiked hairband and pulled it a bit.
"Don't get carried away. We haven't witnessed yet what that abno is capable of when its Qliphoth Counter reaches zero. Stay alert. It usually goes down by one whenever an employee gets a bad result and we got many of those today."
"Do you think…?"
"I know it will happen. Boss!"
Malkuth finished giving out instructions to the new clerks and approached us.
"What is it, [Confidential ID]? It's unusual to see you so motivated."
"I'm developing a sixth sense for danger and my alarms are tingling. Has the manager given us any more work?"
"Nope! X said they wanted to focus on training the new employees so they can safely manage their assigned abnormalities. He's coordinating with Yesod to set some rules that will help them, but Angela placed a limit to what they were allowed to do."
"Angela does that a lot, doesn't she?" Ek observed.
"I'm sure she has a good reason for that. Angela is the most advanced AI in the entirety of the Wing, so if she tells us to do something, we just do it! We can consider ourselves her hands!"
"Neat!"
If Angela was present, I was somehow convinced she would grimace at our conversation. It was sad to witness how much Malkuth respected her, despite Angela trying to make her feel bad about Laurence and Marette's deaths. I shook my head to focus my ideas.
"In that case, I request permission to patrol the facility in search of anomalies. We haven't learnt every managerial tip from T-06-27, so I'd like to keep it in check."
"You have my permission! It's nice to see you taking the initiative for a change! I'll tell Yesod you're going down there! Just remember that you are our main assault force whenever the Ordeals decide to show up. If the manager summons you, get ready for some action."
I am the Control Team captain… and also the manager's favorite. His cursor usually visited me, as if he was proud of me or something. Honestly, that was a bit disgusting. I knew he could watch me from the cameras, so it made me worry about the person X was. I grinned to myself. What kind of face would he make when he witnessed my death? Yet another sinful thought to confess to O-03-03 and to get my skull beaked by O-02-56.
A sudden headache. The speakers malfunctioned and started emitting smoke. Then, the noise of a distant war filled the facility. The clerks began panicking one after the other. Usually, nothing bad would happen from that, but after the recent breaches, they were allowed to carry handguns. Handguns they either pointed at each other or at themselves.
I told the Information Team to equip themselves with Penitence gear and smash as many heads they could. I knew Ek was already busying themselves with that.
Gritting my teeth, I rushed through the tragic road and entered the chamber number 7. The radio was emitting so much smoke it was hard to see what was in front of me. I took seat and decided to follow the managerial instructions.
According to the research, the Qliphoth Counter raised by two when a good result was obtained.
My best bet was trying to restore the counter to the maximum and cross my fingers. If worst came to happen, at least I would upset the manager. That's what he takes for not leading us properly! Who even sends new employees empty-handed to work at a new abnormality? At least give them some proper EGO, you jerk! Don't be greedy!
I bit my lips. I couldn't distract myself with that. I needed to focus on the task at hand. I took all the explosions beaming through the speakers and I allowed them inside my mind, where I would trap them forever.
That day I learnt you mind could also hurt. It was similar to being drunken, but every motion felt like thousands of spikes piercing my head. The eyes, the tongue, the ears, the nose. Those parts melted together in a unison of pain.
I clenched my firsts until blood dripped on my lap. I needed to divert the pain elsewhere. I needed to remain sane or the abnormality would swallow the facility in its maddening aura.
I needed to remember that day. I needed to become a living proof of that day's events. So I kept working Repression inside its chamber.
Explosion. Shot. Scream. Crumble. Explosion. Explosion. Sadness. Mary died. Again. Explosion. Rage. Shot. Shot. Hand grenade. Explosion. Their sons died as well. They didn't make it in time. Boom. Shot. Shot. Shot. Crumble. Dust. Silence. A few wailing words. Shot. It wasn't over. It never was. Explosion. Explosion. Shot. Scream. Rushed orders. Heavy steps. Explosion. Screams. Bombardment. Devastation. Silence. Sobs. Ruffled noises. A song. Silence. Silence. Silence. Silence. Silence. A warning. Explosion. The cycle begins again. Watching the whole piece once was not enough. The scar of history needed to be remembered, so it would restart as many times as it took to reach the place it belonged: the history books.
"Oh my god! Captain! Captain!"
Explosion. Tremble.
"Are you okay?! You were in this room the whole time?!"
Shot. Shot. Scream.
"You're bleeding… Gods… You're bleeding from everywhere!"
Crumble. Pain. Scream. Death.
"Hold on, captain. I'm taking you to the infirmary asap! You'll get better soon!"
Rushed steps. Shouts. Orders. Explosion.
Silence. Silence. Silence.
And then, all of it once again. This is a recording of the day we must never forget.
